Jason Reitman To Direct A New Film About The Behind-The-Scenes Drama Of ‘Saturday Night Live’

It appears Jason Reitman and Gil Kenan have discovered they have a pretty great working relationship. Reitman directed the popular “Ghostbusters: Afterlife,” which he co-wrote with Kenan. Next, Kenan is set to direct the sequel to that film, based on a script he co-wrote with Reitman. Now, it appears Reitman’s next directorial feature is a behind-the-scenes account of the first episode of “Saturday Night Live,” and guess what? He’s working with Gil Kenan. 

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According to Deadline, Jason Reitman is set to direct a new film for Sony Pictures, which will be based on the true story of the behind-the-scenes drama that went into creating the first episode of “Saturday Night Live.” Apparently, this film will actually be set on October 11, 1975, and follow the hours before the beginning of “Saturday Night Live,” as the young comedians and writers pull together to kick off what would become an iconic TV series. The untitled film is the result of a number of interviews that Reitman and Kenan conducted with the living cast members, crew, and other people associated with the popular live variety series. 

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If you are a fan of Reitman’s pre-“Ghostbusters” work, then this film project probably is exciting. Before taking over his father’s franchise, the filmmaker previously helmed films such as “Juno,” “Tully,” “Up in the Air,” and “The Front Runner.” Without knowing much about the new ‘SNL’ film, it’s clear the filmmaker is going back to his bread and butter storytelling and getting out of the blockbuster space for a bit.

As mentioned, he is still involved in the “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” sequel, though. He co-wrote the script and is producing alongside Gil Kenan, who is taking over as filmmaker. The untitled ‘Afterlife’ sequel is scheduled for release later this year, on December 20.