‘Saturday Night’ Trailer: ‘SNL’ Origin Story Recreates 1975 Premiere with Gabriel LaBelle as Lorne Michaels
Samantha Bergeson
Lights, camera, sketch comedy — ’70s style.
The first teaser for “SNL” origin story “Saturday Night” — originally titled “SNL 1975” — has been released. Acclaimed filmmaker Jason Reitman directs the feature that centers on the first-ever broadcast of the almost 50-year-running live sketch show.
“Saturday Night” begins at 30 Rockefeller Center at 10 p.m. ET on October 11, 1975 and spans the 90 minutes leading up to the first taping. The all-star ensemble cast is led by “The Fabelmans” breakout Gabriel LaBelle, who portrays “SNL” creator and producer Lorne Michaels. LaBelle previously portrayed a version of “The Fabelmans” filmmaker Steven Spielberg in the semi-autobiographical film.
Willem Dafoe, Matthew Rhys, Nicolas Braun, J.K. Simmons, Dylan O’Brien, Finn Wolfhard, Cory Michael Smith, Lamorne Morris, Rachel Sennott, Ella Hunt, Matt Wood, Cooper Hoffman, Andrew Barth Feldman, Kaia Gerber, Emily Fairn, Kim Matula, Tommy Dewey, Jon Batiste, and Naomi McPherson are also among the cast.
The logline reads: “On October 11th, 1975, a ferocious troupe of young comedians and writers changed television forever. This is the true story of what happened that night behind the scenes in the moments leading up to the first broadcast of ‘SNL.’ The chaos and magic of a revolution that almost wasn’t, as we countdown the minutes in real time to the infamous words, ‘Live From New York, it’s Saturday Night.'”
“Saturday Night” is written and directed by Reitman, with Gil Kenan co-writing based on interviews with alumni from the “SNL” cast and crew.
“We interviewed everyone we could find that was alive from opening night,” Reitman told Vanity Fair. “Every living cast member, every living writer, people from the art department, costumes, hair and makeup, NBC pages, members of Billy Preston’s band — I mean, anyone we could find.”
Reitman, Kenan, Jason Blumenfeld, and Peter Rice are producing. Erica Mills and JoAnn Perritano are the executive producers.
Reitman called “Saturday Night” is a “thriller-comedy” about the stress of putting the show together.
“I always describe this movie as a shuttle launch, and the question was, ‘Would they break orbit?’” Reitman said.
As for the ensemble, Reitman explained how the feature is about forging new career paths and working together as a team.
“The whole movie is the story of people trying to figure out what their identity is on the show,” Reitman said. “The story we tell is the moment each of these comedians find the way they coalesce as a group, which I think is the reason the show eventually was the success that it is.”
According to Reitman, even LaBelle’s portrayal of Lorne Michaels is rooted in the uncertainty of whether or not “SNL” would succeed.
“We meet Lorne as he’s still forming. He is a genius, and he has a vision beyond anyone else there—and anyone his age. It’s a lot for an actor to carry,” Reitman said. “In this movie, everyone gets to kind of screw around except for Gabe, who has to be the metronome.”
LaBelle took on a side of Michaels forgotten to TV history: “Everyone sees him as this fearless leader, this captain who’s steering the ship in the fog,” LaBelle said. “He started it when he was 30. He’s now 80 and has been doing it for 50 years. Nobody knows what to do when they first start.”
Michaels served as showrunner of “SNL” from 1975 to 1980, before returning in 1985 and continuing until today. LaBelle met Michaels after filming.
“I didn’t need to ask him anything. I didn’t need to try to hack him,” LaBelle added. “I think it was more weird for Lorne than it was for me. I was used to that kind of weirdness of: I’m here to be you.”
Over its history, “SNL” has received 314 Emmy nominations with 84 wins, and launched the careers of iconic actors and comedians like Eddie Murphy, Steve Martin, Adam Sandler, Amy Poehler, Will Ferrell, Kristen Wiig, and more.
“Saturday Night” premieres October 11 in theaters. Check out the trailer below.
