Jason Reitman Directs Saturday Night Live Origin Movie – Unveiling the Chaos of Iconic Comedy Show’s Premiere Night

Ghostbusters: Afterlife director Jason Reitman is taking on a new cinematic challenge, diving into the origins of Saturday Night Live and the frenzied backstage story of its debut night. Deadline reports that Reitman is teaming up with Sony Pictures and Ghostbusters: Afterlife collaborator Gil Kenan to co-write the screenplay, which will chronicle the pandemonium leading up to SNL’s first broadcast on October 11, 1975.

The film will draw from interviews conducted by Reitman and Kenan with cast members, writers, and crew who were present during SNL’s opening night, featuring George Carlin as host on NBC and Chevy Chase’s inaugural “Live From New York, it’s Saturday Night!” announcement.

Reitman and Kenan are also collaborating on the Ghostbusters: Afterlife follow-up, currently in production, with Kenan directing. Their long-time partners, Jason Blumenfeld and Erica Mills, are on board as producers for both the SNL project and the upcoming sequel, set for release in December.

Following the success of Ghostbusters: Afterlife in 2021, which grossed $204 million worldwide, Reitman and Kenan signed an overall producing deal with Sony. The film’s triumph led to the announcement of a sequel and an animated series on Netflix.