Saturday Night gets rave reviews out of Telluride; is it now an Oscar contender?

Last Updated on October 1, 2024

Live from Telluride, it’s Saturday Night! Appropriately enough, Jason Reitman’s Saturday Night debuted on, well, Saturday Night at the Telluride Film Festival. For fans of SNL, this is one of the most anticipated films of the year and, judging by the initial reactions, it could now be in the Oscars discussion.

Check out some of the first reactions below:

Accompanying the premiere of Saturday Night was none other than former SNL cast member Bill Murray, who introduced the film alongside director Jason Reitman. “This is some movie that I think is important that someone make his movie. Saturday Night Live was probably the greatest work experience…piece of luck that I ever had. And I met great people and I learned how to work. It’s a hard-working job and when he talks about adrenaline, it’s really…the demand that you work your best, your most attentive…That’s the only thing, you either live or you die every week that way [working on live TV]. It’s told me that I have to live that way every day of my life.”

Murray went on to say that the cast of Saturday Night is the future of the industry, with those who attended the screening also noting just how remarkable the ensemble is:

Before it releases theatrically on October 11th (the 49th anniversary of the debut episode), Saturday Night will also screen at the Toronto International Film Festival, where our own Chris Bumbray will be reviewing it.

Saturday Night chronicles the night of the first episode of SNL (then known by the titular name of the film), which aired on October 11th, 1975. That legendary episode featured some of the most memorable moments in the show’s early history, including a standout opening sketch with John Belushi, Michael O’Donoghue and Chevy Chase, George Carlin serving as host and Andy Kaufman taking the stage for a unique rendition of the Mighty Mouse theme.

All of these individuals – and the key players – are depicted in Saturday Night, which features one heck of an ensemble: Gabriel LaBelle as Lorne Michaels, Cory Michael Smith as Chevy Chase, Dylan O’Brien as Dan Aykroyd, Ella Hunt as Gilda Radner, Rachel Sennott as Rosie Shuster, Matt Wood as John Belushi, Nicholas Braun as both Andy Kaufman and Jim Henson, and so many more.

Will you be checking out Saturday Night in theaters? Do you think it has a shot at any Oscar recognition? Chime in below!