The ending of Jason Reitman’sSaturday Nightmovie ends exactly as it should with Chevy Chase exclaiming, “Live from New York, it’s Saturday night!“Saturday Nighthas one of the most stacked ensemble casts of 2024, including plenty of young star actors such as Gabriel LaBelle (The Fablemans), Rachel Sennott (Bottoms), Dylan O’Brien (The Maze Runner), and Emmy winners (The Americans), Nicholas Braun (Succession), and Lamorne Morris (Fargo). Oscar winner J.K. Simmons (Whiplash) and 4-time Oscar nominee Willem Dafoe (Poor Things) round out the talentedensemble inSaturday Night.
Saturday Nightopened in theatersin 2024, and it chronicles the true story events in the 90 minutes before the premiere of thefirst ever episode ofSaturday Night Liveon NBC, which happened at 11:30 PM on August 04, 2025. AlthoughReitman’s depiction tends to deviate from factual accountsfor the sake of entertainment and story cohesion,Saturday Nightcaptures the chaos of the night and the steadfast vision of Lorne Michaels.
Dave Tebet’s Last-Minute Decision To Go Live Explained
Tebet Tested Michaels' Determination & Believed In The Product
Dave Tebet acts as a force of motivation and fear throughoutSaturday Nightas the man who has the power to crush Lorne Michaels' vision. Based on the real-life former VP of Talent Relations at NBC,Tebet is part of the group of NBC executives who expectSaturday Nightto failin order to send a message to Johnny Carson about airing re-runs of his acclaimedTonight Show.
Tebet tells Michaels when he first meets him that he is impressed by his talent and vision and tonot let anyone, even him, get in his way of making his dream a reality. This is ultimately exactly what Lorne Michaels does minutes before air, which is why Tebet greenlights the show seconds before going live. In reality, it was Michaels who insisted on having a backup program in case the show went sideways.
How Andy Kaufman & Garrett Morris Proved Lorne’s Vision Of The Show
Kaufman’s Classic “Mighty Mouse” Skit Saved The Day
In the moments beforeSaturday Nightis set to go live for the first time, Tebet tells Michaels to show him what the show is. Throughout the film,Michaels has a hard time explaining exactly what the show is, since there is no official plot or clear way to market it. Michales does his best to explain the concept of the series and what it represents to the time and place of the present moment in 1975 New York City.
He tells Tebet thatSaturday Night"is an all-nighter in the city. It’s everything you think is going to happen when you move to New York.“This helps establish the spirit of the series but Tebet remained in the dark about what would actually be put on camera. That is until Garrett Morris spontaneously sings an explicit parody song and Andy Kaufman does his iconic “Mighty Mouse” skit, which even had the group on NBC execs chuckling. Seeing the comedic talents in action and the laughing crowds, Tebet finally gets Michaels' vision.
Why John Belushi Was Ice Skating 20 Minutes Before The Premiere
Belushi Wanted To See If Michaels Would Stop Him From Doing What He Wanted To Do
Belushi is portrayed as being the most wild and unpredictable cast member inSaturday Night’sfirst episode, which is certainly saying something. After a series of violent and rebellious actions in the 90 minutes leading up to the SNL premiere, he finallypulls through for Michaels when he shows up in the iconic first skit “The Wolverine"with head writer Michael O’Donaghue.
In a fabricated scene that was completely made up for the film, Belushi is seen ice skating in Rockefeller Center wearing a bumblebee costume for an upcoming skit. Belushi says he’s going to attempt a triple axel and falls flat on his face, which sends a worried Michaels rushing onto the ice. It appears that this was the fictional Beluchi’s way of testing Michaels, determining how authoritative he was going to be of him.After Michaels supported his decision to try the triple axel, Belushi was on board.
How Lorne & Rosie Convinced Belushi To Sign His Contract
Belushi Finally Gives His Trust To Lorne & The Show
Lorne and Rosie Michaels attempt to convince Belushi to sign his NBC contract in the 90 minutes leading up to the series premiere. Belushi comes off as extremely anti-establishment and doesn’t trust NBC or the executives who require him to shave his face before appearing inSaturday Night. It’s reaffirmed throughoutSaturday Nightthat NBC has a strict vision of the type of content they put on television, which they aptly call “The Peacock Way.”
Michaels has a very down-to-earth and hands-off approach with many of his cast membersin the film. Once Belushi realizes this, he develops a stronger trust in Lorne’s vision/ Lorne is aided by his wife, Rosie, who connects with Belushi on a more personal level.
Why Rosie Chose Shuster Over Michaels For Her Credit
Rosie Was A Well-Known Comedy Figure In Her Own Right
Lorne Michaels is asked throughout Saturday Night what Rosie’s credit should be at the end of the show. Although Lorne and Rosie are married, they reach an understanding that they aren’t romantically in love with each other but still care about each other very deeply. When it came to crunch time right before the show went to air,both Rosie and Lorne said that Rosie should use her original surname, Shuster, for the credits.
In reality, Rosie was credited as Rosie Michaels in the actual episode. In the context of the film, it demonstrated that Lorne respected Rosie’s status as an individual and talented creator in her own right.Rosie was also having an open affair with Dan Aykroyd, which didn’t seem to affect Michaels very much in the film.
How The Cold Open In “The Wolverines” Sketch Started A Legacy
The SNL Cold Open Is As Classic As Its Weekend Update Segment
TheSaturday Night Livetradition of beginning each episode with a cold open began with the very first episode, as reenacted in theSaturday Nightmovie. “The Wolverines” was a brief sketch that began with John Belushi walking down a set of prop stairs and speaking with his language teacher, played by head writer Michael O’Donaghue.
This cold open began with nearly 15 seconds of silence or “dead air” which gave the show an intentional sense of being unpolished and gritty, adding to the late-night feel Michaels was going for. While the SNL cold open has evolved over the years and often has a political focus nowadays,the legendary segment has structurally remained the same for 50 seasons.
The Real Meaning Of Saturday Night’s Ending
Saturday Night Live Was Born From A Daring & Improbable Creative Spark
The entirety ofSaturday Nightcaptures lightning in a bottleas production and interpersonal issues pile up by the dozen. As the film unfolds, a seemingly endless amount of problems arise, which eventually brings Lorne Michaels to a boiling point. What he does not do, however, is give up, as he and his talented cast and crew are able to pull off the series just in the nick of time.
Saturday Night Soundtrack Guide: Every Song & When They Play
Saturday Night features an original score from Grammy & Oscar winner Jon Batiste and reenacts live guest perfomances by Janis Ian & Billy Preston.
While the film sensationalizes and exaggerates the timing of things to raise stakes and tension,Saturday Nightencapsulatesthe frantic and brief turnaround process that the series has endured for the past 50 seasons. Most importantly, it portrays a million ways thatSaturday Night Livecould have been a disaster before it started. Looking back on the series' origins,Saturday Nightdrives home how impressive and improbable it is that the series has been around for so long as a staple of modern television, which is a testament to Lorne Michaels.
How The Saturday Night Ending Was Received
The Movie Was Highly Praised
Both critics and audiences lovedSaturday Night, with its Rotten Tomatoes score “Certified Fresh” at 78% and the audience Popcornmeter score an even higher 84%. One of the overwhelmingly positive reviews by audience members onRotten Tomatoesreads, “An amusing and intelligent ride from start to finish. Great acting and the anxiety of getting the first episode of SNL on the air was a comedic adventure. Excellent movie!” This was mostly the normal review for fans of the film.
The top critics were also pleased with the final result and whatSaturday Nightdid while telling an entertaining story, even if not all true to life. Matt Singer ofScreen Crushwrote:
“Reitman clearly made this film from a place of love and admiration for the institution ofSNLand the people, then and now, who produce it. He might get the facts wrong at times; what he gets right is the feeling that every fan who grows up watchingSNLimaginesthe show is like behind the scenes — giddy and chaotic and brimming with passionate creativity.":
There was also aRedditthread full of fans who loved what they saw in the movie. Redditor @cutandcover wrote, “This film, regardless of any questions of authenticity, freaking rules. The energy is nonstop and the excitement of the thing never lets up.” There was another who said they were very happy with whereSaturday Nightended, writing, “I was begging them to end it on that note, and it delivered. The credits were also awesome as well.”
Saturday Night
Cast
Saturday Night (2024) is a forthcoming film with an undisclosed director. The movie centers on the vibrant nightlife of a bustling city, capturing the intertwining lives and stories of a diverse ensemble cast navigating personal and social challenges over the course of a single evening.
