Live from New York, it’s Jason Reitman directing a movie about SNL’s opening night

Jason Reitman and writer Gil Kenan are staying in New York City a little longer

By Matt Schimkowitz | May 2, 2023 | 1:18am

Aux News Jason Reitman

Live from New York, it’s Jason Reitman directing a movie about SNL’s opening night

Will Champion, Jonny Buckland, Guy Berryman, and Chris Martin of musical guest Coldplay, host Pedro Pascal, and special guest Sarah Paulson, all of whom are not in this movie at present time Photo: Will Heath (NBC)

Before the credits rolled on Jason Reitman’s Ghostbusters: Afterlife, a shot of the Ecto-1 driving through New York City seemingly set up a sequel where the new generation of feel-good busters could continue imprisoning specters of all stripes. However, Reitman has further Big Apple aspirations. According to Deadline, Reitman and Afterlife co-writer Gil Kenan are setting their eyes on Rockefeller Plaza’s studio 8H, with a new movie about Saturday Night Live’s opening night. Set in the lead-up to Chevy Chase saying the immortal words, “Live from New York, it’s Saturday Night,” the movie will chronicle the backstage brouhahas, joint writing sessions, and casual sexism that comes with producing a Killer Bees sketch.

The movie marks Reitman’s second go at producing a movie about Dan Akroyd’s contributions to the comedy world, with the first one being Ghostbusters: Afterlife, a movie exclusively about how great the first Ghostbusters movie was. Reitman and Kenan reportedly based the film on an extensive series of interviews they conducted with surviving cast members. It makes sense. As long as you have Aykroyd on the phone, you might as well ask him about the first episode of SNL.

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And to think, Reitman was almost convinced to remove that Ecto-1 shot, which would obviously leave a glaring plot hole for these upcoming movies. During the Sony panel at CinemaCon last week, Reitman revealed some advice his father gave him during the CinemaCon premiere of Ghostbusters: Afterlife. “It was a huge night for me. It was the first time my father and I watched the movie together with an audience. We were showing the movie, it was just crushing,” said Reitman. “And halfway through my father leans over to me and whispers into my ear, ‘You really have to lose that shot of the car going over the bridge.’” He clearly didn’t take the advice.