At 11:30 p.m. on a Saturday night, October 11, 1975, a groundbreaking team of young comedians and writers transformed television and culture forever.
Directed by Jason Reitman and co-written with Gil Kenan, Saturday Night delves into the true story of the frenetic 90 minutes leading up to the inaugural broadcast of Saturday Night Live. This film, brimming with humor, chaos, and the magic of a revolution that nearly didn’t happen, counts down the minutes until those iconic words are spoken.
The film revisits the historic first broadcast, which aired on October 11, 1975, with comedian George Carlin hosting and musical guests Billy Preston and Janis Ian. The episode also featured Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, Chevy Chase, Jane Curtin, Garrett Morris, Laraine Newman, Michael O’Donoghue, and Gilda Radner, with George Coe making an appearance.
The trailer offers a dramatic look at the intense hours before SNL’s debut. Gabriel LaBelle portrays SNL executive producer Lorne Michaels, who battles through unpredictable cast members and demanding studio executives to bring the revolutionary show to life. Michaels’s fervent declaration, “NBC is lucky enough to have something as relevant as this show!” captures the high stakes and conviction fueling the show’s creation. Watch below:
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Sony also released a new one-sheet:
As SNL approaches its 50th season this fall, Saturday Night features an ensemble cast including Dylan O’Brien as Aykroyd, Cory Michael Smith as Chase, Rachel Sennott as Rosie Shuster, Lamorne Morris as Morris, and Nicholas Braun as Jim Henson. Additional cast members include Finn Wolfhard as an NBC page, Jon Batiste as Preston, and Kaia Gerber as Jacqueline Carlin.
Saturday Night premieres in theaters on October 11, 2024, from Sony Pictures.
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