Saturday Night
- Sep 16, 2024, United Kingdom
The Emmy Award-winning TV show Saturday Night Live has aired on American TV since 1975, offering topical comedy sketches, musical performances, and celebratory guests.
In the run-up to its 50th year, a brand-new comedy-drama film will soon hit the silver screen, telling the story of the 1975 premiere of Saturday Night, which was later called Saturday Night Live.
A superb ensemble cast will depict the show’s first night, pulling back the curtain on its early production.
If you are excited to watch it, here is everything you need to know about Saturday Night, including its release date, plot, cast, and more.
1xBet’s Odds at 15 predict a 6.7% chance that Saturday Night will win Best Picture at the Academy Awards 2025 ::: Discover the current Odds now HERE
What is the Release Date for Saturday Night?
Saturday Night is scheduled for limited release on October 4, 2024, and will have a wide release on October 11, 2024, on the show’s 49th anniversary.
What’s the Plot?
The film tells the story of the first broadcast of Saturday Night, later known as Saturday Night Live. The show premiered on October 11, 1975.
It provides audiences with an insight into what happened that night. Tensions were high as Lorne Michaels, the show’s producer, and a talented troupe of young comedians and writers, prepped for the first show.
Who Stars in Saturday Night?
A superb ensemble cast portrays many famous SNL stars who helped define the show’s early days and current format.
For instance, Gabrielle LaBelle (The Fabelmans) transforms into Lorne Michaels, the show’s creator. Also, Rachel Sennott (Call Your Mother) takes on the role of Rosie Shuster, one of SNL’s original writers.
Various recognizable faces star as Saturday Night Live’s original cast. For example, Dylan O’Brien (Maze Runner) plays Dan Akroyd, Ella Hunt (Dickinson) plays Gilda Radner, Kim Matula (Fighting with My Family) plays Jane Curtin, and Cory Michael Smith (Gotham) stars as the show’s breakout star Chevy Chase.
Also, Lamorne Morris (New Girl) is Garrett Morris, the show’s first black sketch member, and Finn Wolfhard (Stranger Things) plays an NBC page.
Also, Succession’s Nicholas Braun shows off his acting versatility by playing two roles in the movie: Andy Kaufman and Jim Henson.
Many high-profile actors, singers, and models make an appearance. For instance, J. K. Simmons (Whiplash) portrays Milton Berle, Jon Batiste is Billy Preston, Kaia Berger is Jacqueline Carlin, Willem Dafoe (Beetlejuice Beetlejuice) is David Tebet, and Matthew Rhys (The Americans) is George Carlin.
Can I Watch an Official Trailer?
Two official trailers for Saturday Night are available to watch on YouTube, offering a teaser for the movie.
Who Wrote and Directed Saturday Night?
Jason Reitman wrote, directed, and produced Saturday Night for Sony Pictures. He is best known for directing Juno (2007) and Up in the Air (2009).
He co-wrote the screenplay with Gil Kenan, best known for Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021) and Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024).
Reitman and Kenen reportedly conducted interviews with Saturday Night’s living cast and crew to accurately develop the screenplay.
What Do the Critics Say?
According to Rotten Tomatoes, a review aggregator, Saturday Night has earned “generally favorable reviews”, scoring 81% out of 21 critic reviews and earning an average rating of 6.8/10.
According to TheWrap’s Carla Renata, “Saturday Night serves as a love letter to the millions of global fans who have religiously tuned in to decompress and get their giggle on. Lamorne Morris, Cory Michael Smith, Kim Matula, and Matt Wood are fantastic as their iconic counterparts.
Also, Entertainment Weekly’s Maureen Lee Lenker wrote, “It might not be as provocative as its source material but live from New York… it is a wildly entertaining love letter to a night of television that marked a cultural watershed.”
