Jason Reitman is going way back to the origins of Saturday Night Live.
News recently broke that Reitman was set to helm a new feature named SNL 1975 from a script he co-wrote with Gil Kenan. It’s based on the screenwriters’ interviews with the show’s living cast, scribes, and crew.
The Hollywood Reporter notes Lamorne Morris and Dylan O’Brien have joined the cast, with Morris set to portray Garrett Morris and O’Brien landing the role of Dan Aykroyd. They’ll join Cory Michael Smith playing Chevy Chase, while Matt Wood is joining the cast as John Belushi. As for the ladies of SNL, Ella Hunt will portray Gilda Radner, Emily Fairn has been cast as Laraine Newman, and Kim Matula is set to play Jane Curtin.
They’ll join the previously cast Gabriel LaBelle as SNL creator Lorne Michaels, Cooper Hoffman as former NBC executive Dick Ebersol, and Rachel Sennott as Michaels’ ex-wife, Rosie Shuster.
Little is known about the project, but THR notes, “The film is set to focus on the formative moment in October 1975 for the NBC sketch show.” For those who don’t know, the long-running sketch show began on October 11, 1975, and was known as “NBC’s Saturday Night” at the time.
Comedian and actor George Carlin hosted the first episode with musical guests Billy Preston and Janis Ian. Comedians Valri Bromfield and Andy Kaufman also appeared.
Saturday Night Live is currently airing its 49th season.