It is a sad state of affairs in Hollywood when you can have such talented actors as Diane Keaton, Kathy Bates and Alfre Woodard, but the best you can do is stick them in boomer-baiting forgettable comedic contrivances like Summer Camp, the latest in a long line of movies for Keaton, who also is a producer on it, in which she is cast with female peers of similar age to mix slapschtick with attempted pathos and senior romance. It is the kind of formula you can sell with a simple pitch: Take three beloved septuagenarian Oscar winning and nominated stars and send them back to the summer camp where they bonded as kids. Hilarity and hijinks ensue, along with giving each a later-in-life regret or dead husband to add a bit of drama to the proceedings. Bingo! The mid-week matinees will be sellouts!
Sorry if that all sounds a bit...
Sorry if that all sounds a bit...
- 5/30/2024
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline Film + TV
Move over, “Dune,” there’s a new bang-able popcorn bucket in town.
Ryan Reynolds has revealed the new popcorn bucket created for “Deadpool and Wolverine” on social media Thursday — and the video is just as inappropriate as you’d expect from the R-rated superhero.
Inspired by the viral “Dune 2” popcorn bucket, the “Deadpool 3” receptacle is modeled after Wolverine’s head, but it has a comically oversized mouth you can fill with popcorn (or your movie snack of choice). Reynolds unveiled the bucket with a short video set to the epic song “Also Sprach Zarathustra” from “2001: A Space Odyssey.”
In the video, Deadpool slowly caresses the Wolverine popcorn bucket as the camera zooms in on its plastic features. Popcorn then falls from above and fills up the Wolverine mouth; and to top it all off, butter drizzles down his nose. It’s the latest viral marketing stunt for “Deadpool and Wolverine,...
Ryan Reynolds has revealed the new popcorn bucket created for “Deadpool and Wolverine” on social media Thursday — and the video is just as inappropriate as you’d expect from the R-rated superhero.
Inspired by the viral “Dune 2” popcorn bucket, the “Deadpool 3” receptacle is modeled after Wolverine’s head, but it has a comically oversized mouth you can fill with popcorn (or your movie snack of choice). Reynolds unveiled the bucket with a short video set to the epic song “Also Sprach Zarathustra” from “2001: A Space Odyssey.”
In the video, Deadpool slowly caresses the Wolverine popcorn bucket as the camera zooms in on its plastic features. Popcorn then falls from above and fills up the Wolverine mouth; and to top it all off, butter drizzles down his nose. It’s the latest viral marketing stunt for “Deadpool and Wolverine,...
- 5/30/2024
- by Jordan Moreau
- Variety Film + TV
A one-minute teaser for the upcoming season of David Letterman’s My Next Guest Needs No Introduction interview series teases chats with Miley Cyrus and Charles Barkley. The season launches on Netflix on June 12.
Cyrus’ segments find her joking about how she used to have a fear of getting fired but now she sees being told that she’s no longer needed for obligations is a relief, and she also appears to reflect on her Hannah Montana days. “They did shoot a pilot with another girl, and then they showed it to [a focus group],” Cyrus says.
Cyrus’ segments find her joking about how she used to have a fear of getting fired but now she sees being told that she’s no longer needed for obligations is a relief, and she also appears to reflect on her Hannah Montana days. “They did shoot a pilot with another girl, and then they showed it to [a focus group],” Cyrus says.
- 5/22/2024
- by Kory Grow
- Rollingstone.com
When Saturday Night Live began, it wasn’t even called Saturday Night Live. That honor belonged to a rival variety show hosted by Howard Cosell that launched the same year on ABC primetime. Hence why the young, hungry, and immensely talented sketch comedians assembled in 1975 were dubbed the “Not Ready for Primetime Players.”
That earliest and now quasi-mythical first class of SNL alumni remain the only ones to hold that title. Perhaps this is because the joke stopped working after many of them proved more than capable of carrying a primetime television series. In fact, most of them went on to have successful careers on TV, the Broadway stage, and for the precious and most spectacular few… in the movies.
Ever since Chevy Chase exited SNL after its first season, the series has been viewed—sometimes to creator and producer Lorne Michaels and NBC executives’ consternation—as a launchpad for movie stardom.
That earliest and now quasi-mythical first class of SNL alumni remain the only ones to hold that title. Perhaps this is because the joke stopped working after many of them proved more than capable of carrying a primetime television series. In fact, most of them went on to have successful careers on TV, the Broadway stage, and for the precious and most spectacular few… in the movies.
Ever since Chevy Chase exited SNL after its first season, the series has been viewed—sometimes to creator and producer Lorne Michaels and NBC executives’ consternation—as a launchpad for movie stardom.
- 5/17/2024
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
Our latest look at new and recent books about (or connected to) cinema includes looks at a couple beloved classics (Scarface and The Blues Brothers), a unique photography book by Dune dudes Josh Brolin and Greig Fraser, and a deeply involving account of the life of iconic Warhol superstar Candy Darling. Plus, we’ll run through some noteworthy novels that belong on your summer reading list. The world is yours, friends.
The World Is Yours: The Story of Scarface by Glenn Kenny (Hanover Square Press)
If you are a film fan who has read Glenn Kenny’s Made Men, the blood-drenched dive into the making of Goodfellas, there is a good chance it is one of your favorite books. Kenny’s follow-up is a look into the creation and legacy of another ultra-violent classic, Brian De Palma’s Scarface. Unsurprisingly, The World Is Yours: The Story of Scarface is damn...
The World Is Yours: The Story of Scarface by Glenn Kenny (Hanover Square Press)
If you are a film fan who has read Glenn Kenny’s Made Men, the blood-drenched dive into the making of Goodfellas, there is a good chance it is one of your favorite books. Kenny’s follow-up is a look into the creation and legacy of another ultra-violent classic, Brian De Palma’s Scarface. Unsurprisingly, The World Is Yours: The Story of Scarface is damn...
- 5/14/2024
- by Christopher Schobert
- The Film Stage
Steven Spielberg is undoubtedly one of the greatest voices in filmmaking today. Since the ’70s, he has proven himself to be a very competent director who can dabble in any filmmaking genre with ease. Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Raiders of The Lost Ark, Saving Private Ryan, Jurassic Park, The Color Purple, etc. are examples of his complete mastery over varied genres.
Melinda Dillon and Cary Guffey in Steven Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Spielberg tasted success early in his career with Jaws and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. When he decided to put a comedic spin on the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, many, including John Wayne, warned him that it would backfire on him. The underwhelming reception of the film led to a big realization of the mistakes that he made.
John Wayne’s Warning About 1941 Was The First Sign of the Film...
Melinda Dillon and Cary Guffey in Steven Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Spielberg tasted success early in his career with Jaws and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. When he decided to put a comedic spin on the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, many, including John Wayne, warned him that it would backfire on him. The underwhelming reception of the film led to a big realization of the mistakes that he made.
John Wayne’s Warning About 1941 Was The First Sign of the Film...
- 5/6/2024
- by Rahul Thokchom
- FandomWire
When Steven Spielberg set out to helm "1941" (a film John Wayne tried to stop him from making), he was seemingly unbeatable. Here was the man who invented the summer blockbuster with "Jaws," then followed it up with the big hit "Close Encounters of the Third Kind." He was on top of the world, and it felt like anything he put his name on was going to be a success. Then "1941" crashed and burned.
Sort of.
Here's the thing: in the grand scheme of things, "1941" was not relly a flop. However, because critics were mixed on the flick and it wasn't as big of a hit as Spielberg's previous two movies, it was seen as a failure. Spielberg the wunderkind was showing signs of fatigue. And to be fair, "1941" is definitely one of Spielberg's weaker efforts. Based very loosely on true events, the film follows several...
Sort of.
Here's the thing: in the grand scheme of things, "1941" was not relly a flop. However, because critics were mixed on the flick and it wasn't as big of a hit as Spielberg's previous two movies, it was seen as a failure. Spielberg the wunderkind was showing signs of fatigue. And to be fair, "1941" is definitely one of Spielberg's weaker efforts. Based very loosely on true events, the film follows several...
- 5/5/2024
- by Chris Evangelista
- Slash Film
In a new interview with David Letterman’s Netflix show, My Next Guest Needs No Introduction, John Mulaney revealed something Saturday Night Live producer Lorne Michaels shared about sobriety and addiction.
Mulaney recalled how Michaels invoked John Belushi, who died in 1982 at 33 after struggling with addiction.
While in rehab, Mulaney received a call from Michaels.
“He goes, ‘I knew John Belushi for seven years. I’ve been talking about him for 48 years, because that’s the shrapnel that happens when someone goes down like that,'” Mulaney said.
Belushi died from a combination of cocaine and heroin during a days-long drug binge.
“And [Michaels] goes, ‘You know, John didn’t want to die. You know, he didn’t plan to. Just because it’s a story, just because it’s sort of set in stone like history, people don’t want to die from this.'”
Mulaney checked into rehab in...
Mulaney recalled how Michaels invoked John Belushi, who died in 1982 at 33 after struggling with addiction.
While in rehab, Mulaney received a call from Michaels.
“He goes, ‘I knew John Belushi for seven years. I’ve been talking about him for 48 years, because that’s the shrapnel that happens when someone goes down like that,'” Mulaney said.
Belushi died from a combination of cocaine and heroin during a days-long drug binge.
“And [Michaels] goes, ‘You know, John didn’t want to die. You know, he didn’t plan to. Just because it’s a story, just because it’s sort of set in stone like history, people don’t want to die from this.'”
Mulaney checked into rehab in...
- 5/2/2024
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
John Mulaney had been suffering from addiction for years until he got sober in 2005. During his time at rehabilitation, he received the most influential advice from SNL creator, Lorne Michaels, which inspired him to turn over a new leaf.
John Mulaney via Saturday Night Live
Michaels used the death of the late comedian John Belushi to warn Mulaney of what could possibly happen to him if he did not help himself. The comedian got candid in his interview in Netflix’s My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman.
John Mulaney Shares The Words Of Encouragement From Lorne Michaels That Changed His Whole Life
John Mulaney recalled how Lorne Michaels gave him a two-hour call during his time at rehab. The latter told of the tragic life of John Belushi and how it affected not only his life but his family as well. In the interview via People, Mulaney stated:
“He goes,...
John Mulaney via Saturday Night Live
Michaels used the death of the late comedian John Belushi to warn Mulaney of what could possibly happen to him if he did not help himself. The comedian got candid in his interview in Netflix’s My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman.
John Mulaney Shares The Words Of Encouragement From Lorne Michaels That Changed His Whole Life
John Mulaney recalled how Lorne Michaels gave him a two-hour call during his time at rehab. The latter told of the tragic life of John Belushi and how it affected not only his life but his family as well. In the interview via People, Mulaney stated:
“He goes,...
- 5/1/2024
- by Ariane Cruz
- FandomWire
After Deadline broke the news last week that New Line was in pole position to land the package A Chris Farley Story, the studio made it official today, having acquired the biopic starring Paul Walter Hauser as the legendary comedian. Josh Gad directs, with Lorne Michaels and Erin David producing via Broadway Video.
The pitch is based on the book by Farley’s brother Tom Farley Jr. and Tanner Colby and will be adapted by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber. This marks the second major package Warner Bros. has landed this week with the main studio acquiring Avengelyne which is being developed as a star vehicle for Margot Robbie.
The film would tell the story of one of the great comic actors of his generation. Getting his start in the second heyday of Saturday Night Live, where Farley would join an ensemble of all-time SNL greats including Adam Sandler,...
The pitch is based on the book by Farley’s brother Tom Farley Jr. and Tanner Colby and will be adapted by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber. This marks the second major package Warner Bros. has landed this week with the main studio acquiring Avengelyne which is being developed as a star vehicle for Margot Robbie.
The film would tell the story of one of the great comic actors of his generation. Getting his start in the second heyday of Saturday Night Live, where Farley would join an ensemble of all-time SNL greats including Adam Sandler,...
- 4/30/2024
- by Justin Kroll
- Deadline Film + TV
John Mulaney opened up about his struggles with addiction, his time in rehab, and a memorable call he received from Lorne Michaels about John Belushi during his appearance on My Next Guest Needs No Introduction With David Letterman.
At the start of the episode, Mulaney spoke about his stint in rehab a few years ago, which became a big part of his 2023 stand-up special, Baby J. At one point, he recalled a particularly low point in his detox when he was grinding his teeth so much that one of his molars cracked.
At the start of the episode, Mulaney spoke about his stint in rehab a few years ago, which became a big part of his 2023 stand-up special, Baby J. At one point, he recalled a particularly low point in his detox when he was grinding his teeth so much that one of his molars cracked.
- 4/30/2024
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
With the back-to-back blockbuster combo of "Jaws" and "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," Steven Spielberg had firmly established himself as a sui generis Hollywood visionary when, in 1978, he chose to make "1941." Most people consider this a near-disaster of a decision. The anarchic World War II comedy, set in panicked Southern California in the immediate wake of the assault on Pearl Harbor, was a 180-degree turn from the spirited adventure and childlike yearning of his previous two films. It was silly, vulgar and more than a little mean. And, most audaciously, it was making light of the country's understandably crazed reaction to an attack that killed thousands of U.S. military personnel.
Spielberg's co-conspirators in this juvenile affront to one of the worst days in 20th century American history were screenwriters John Milius, Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale — and, really, all you have to do is watch "Used Cars...
Spielberg's co-conspirators in this juvenile affront to one of the worst days in 20th century American history were screenwriters John Milius, Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale — and, really, all you have to do is watch "Used Cars...
- 4/27/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Exclusive: No decision has been made official, but sources tell Deadline that New Line is the favorite to land the package that is based on the biography The Chris Farley Show with Paul Walter Hauser attached to play the legendary comedian. The pitch is based on the book by Farley’s brother Tom Farley Jr. and Tanner Colby and will be adapted by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber with Josh Gad directing. Lorne Michaels, who found and cast Farley in Saturday Night Live in the ’90s, is producing through his Broadway Video.
Insiders say the family has given their blessing to the project. The studio had no comment.
The film would tell the story of one of the great comic actors of his generation. Getting his start in the second heyday of Saturday Night Live, where Farley would join an ensemble of all-time SNL greats including Adam Sandler, David Spade,...
Insiders say the family has given their blessing to the project. The studio had no comment.
The film would tell the story of one of the great comic actors of his generation. Getting his start in the second heyday of Saturday Night Live, where Farley would join an ensemble of all-time SNL greats including Adam Sandler, David Spade,...
- 4/25/2024
- by Mike Fleming Jr and Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
The year was 1985 when Super Mario Bros. took the Nintendo Entertainment System by storm; Bill Watterson’s Calvin and Hobbes debuted in newspapers, and two unlikely friends named Marty McFly and Emmett Lathrop Brown piloted cinema’s most iconic time machine to a year when Panama hats and kitten heels were all the rage, 1955.
Fiercely protected at a level akin to Ghostbusters and Star Wars by millennials worldwide, Robert Zemeckis’s Back to the Future sits enthroned at Nostalgia Mountain’s top. The original film has spawned two sequels, a cartoon series, video game adaptations, a Broadway musical, and more. But how does it hold up by today’s standards? Strap on your seatbelt, and prepare yourselves to see some serious shit because this is Back to the Future Revisited.
In 1977, Robert Zemeckis did the unthinkable. He bulldozed into Amblin Entertainment without an appointment, heading straight for Steven Spielberg’s office.
Fiercely protected at a level akin to Ghostbusters and Star Wars by millennials worldwide, Robert Zemeckis’s Back to the Future sits enthroned at Nostalgia Mountain’s top. The original film has spawned two sequels, a cartoon series, video game adaptations, a Broadway musical, and more. But how does it hold up by today’s standards? Strap on your seatbelt, and prepare yourselves to see some serious shit because this is Back to the Future Revisited.
In 1977, Robert Zemeckis did the unthinkable. He bulldozed into Amblin Entertainment without an appointment, heading straight for Steven Spielberg’s office.
- 4/15/2024
- by Steve Seigh
- JoBlo.com
Paul Walter Hauser will play comedian Chris Farley in a so-far untitled biopic. Here’s what we know at present:
A biopic based on the biography The Chris Farley Show: A Biography In Three Acts by the late comedian’s brother Tom Farley Jr. and Tanner Colb is in the works.
With full endorsement from Farley’s family, Richard Jewell star Paul Walter Hauser will play him in the film. It will be the directorial debut of Frozen star Josh Gad, with Scott Neustadter and Michael H Weber writing the screenplay according to Deadline. They previously adapted the surreal true story of Tommy Wiseau’s experience making cult film The Room into 2017 film The Disaster Artist.
A feature film examining the origins of Saturday Night Live is also in production. Jason Reitman is directIng SNL 1975 from a script he wrote with Gil Keenan. It will star Gabriel Labelle as series creator Lorne Michaels,...
A biopic based on the biography The Chris Farley Show: A Biography In Three Acts by the late comedian’s brother Tom Farley Jr. and Tanner Colb is in the works.
With full endorsement from Farley’s family, Richard Jewell star Paul Walter Hauser will play him in the film. It will be the directorial debut of Frozen star Josh Gad, with Scott Neustadter and Michael H Weber writing the screenplay according to Deadline. They previously adapted the surreal true story of Tommy Wiseau’s experience making cult film The Room into 2017 film The Disaster Artist.
A feature film examining the origins of Saturday Night Live is also in production. Jason Reitman is directIng SNL 1975 from a script he wrote with Gil Keenan. It will star Gabriel Labelle as series creator Lorne Michaels,...
- 4/15/2024
- by Jake Godfrey
- Film Stories
Musician Naomi McPherson is joining the star-packed cast of SNL 1975, Jason Reitman’s forthcoming film about the debut night of the long-running NBC sketch series Saturday Night Live.
McPherson, who uses they/them pronouns, will make their acting debut as singer-songwriter Janis Ian, a musical guest on the first episode of SNL that aired Oct. 11, 1975. Reitman is directing the Sony Pictures project that focuses on the behind-the-scenes moments leading up to that initial broadcast. The cast includes Gabriel Labelle as series creator Lorne Michaels, Cooper Hoffman as former NBC exec Dick Ebersol and Rachel Sennott as Michaels’ ex-wife and former SNL writer Rosie Shuster.
McPherson is a member of the Los Angeles-based band Muna and handles production duties for most of the group’s music. Muna has spent the past two years touring in support of the self-titled 2022 album that includes the single “Silk Chiffon” featuring Phoebe Bridgers. The band,...
McPherson, who uses they/them pronouns, will make their acting debut as singer-songwriter Janis Ian, a musical guest on the first episode of SNL that aired Oct. 11, 1975. Reitman is directing the Sony Pictures project that focuses on the behind-the-scenes moments leading up to that initial broadcast. The cast includes Gabriel Labelle as series creator Lorne Michaels, Cooper Hoffman as former NBC exec Dick Ebersol and Rachel Sennott as Michaels’ ex-wife and former SNL writer Rosie Shuster.
McPherson is a member of the Los Angeles-based band Muna and handles production duties for most of the group’s music. Muna has spent the past two years touring in support of the self-titled 2022 album that includes the single “Silk Chiffon” featuring Phoebe Bridgers. The band,...
- 4/12/2024
- by Ryan Gajewski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Now here is a package coming together that is sure to set the town and market on fire. Deadline is hearing that a script based on The Chris Farley Show: A Biography in Three Acts is being shopped with Paul Walter Hauser attached to play the iconic late comic and actor.
Josh Gad will direct with Lorne Michaels, who found and cast Farley in Saturday Night Live in the ’90s, producing through his Broadway Video. The package will be sold as a pitch based on the book with Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber penning the script.
Based on the biography by Farley’s brother Tom Farley Jr. and Tanner Colby — insiders say the family has given their blessing to the project — the film would tell the story of one of the great comic actors of his generation. Getting his start in the heyday of Saturday Night Live, where Farley...
Josh Gad will direct with Lorne Michaels, who found and cast Farley in Saturday Night Live in the ’90s, producing through his Broadway Video. The package will be sold as a pitch based on the book with Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber penning the script.
Based on the biography by Farley’s brother Tom Farley Jr. and Tanner Colby — insiders say the family has given their blessing to the project — the film would tell the story of one of the great comic actors of his generation. Getting his start in the heyday of Saturday Night Live, where Farley...
- 4/12/2024
- by Justin Kroll
- Deadline Film + TV
Joe Flaherty, the two-time Emmy-winning writer and Second City alumnus who sparkled as Guy Caballero, Count Floyd, Big Jim McBob and Sammy Maudlin as an original castmember on the landmark Canadian sketch comedy series Sctv, has died. He was 82.
His daughter, Gudrun Flaherty, told the Canadian Press he died Monday after a brief illness.
“Dad was an extraordinary man, known for his boundless heart and an unwavering passion for movies from the ’40s and ’50s,” she said in a statement. “His insights into the golden age of cinema didn’t just shape his professional life; they were also a source of endless fascination for me. In these last few months, as he faced his health challenges, we had the precious opportunity to watch many of those classic movies together — moments I will forever hold dear.”
A native of Pittsburgh, Flaherty also was known for his stint as A-1 Sporting Goods...
His daughter, Gudrun Flaherty, told the Canadian Press he died Monday after a brief illness.
“Dad was an extraordinary man, known for his boundless heart and an unwavering passion for movies from the ’40s and ’50s,” she said in a statement. “His insights into the golden age of cinema didn’t just shape his professional life; they were also a source of endless fascination for me. In these last few months, as he faced his health challenges, we had the precious opportunity to watch many of those classic movies together — moments I will forever hold dear.”
A native of Pittsburgh, Flaherty also was known for his stint as A-1 Sporting Goods...
- 4/2/2024
- by Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Joe Flaherty, the actor, writer and comedian known for his roles on the Canadian sketch comedy series “Second City Television” and “Freaks and Geeks,” died on Monday. He was 82.
Flaherty’s daughter, Gudrun, confirmed the news to Variety in a statement through the Comedic Artists Alliance, which had previously raised funds for Flaherty to obtain a 24-hour care provider.
“After a brief illness, he left us yesterday, and since then, I’ve been struggling to come to terms with this immense loss,” Gudrun said. “Dad was an extraordinary man, known for his boundless heart and an unwavering passion for movies from the ’40s and ’50s. His insights into the golden age of cinema didn’t just shape his professional life; they were also a source of endless fascination for me. In these last few months, as he faced his health challenges, we had the precious opportunity to watch many of...
Flaherty’s daughter, Gudrun, confirmed the news to Variety in a statement through the Comedic Artists Alliance, which had previously raised funds for Flaherty to obtain a 24-hour care provider.
“After a brief illness, he left us yesterday, and since then, I’ve been struggling to come to terms with this immense loss,” Gudrun said. “Dad was an extraordinary man, known for his boundless heart and an unwavering passion for movies from the ’40s and ’50s. His insights into the golden age of cinema didn’t just shape his professional life; they were also a source of endless fascination for me. In these last few months, as he faced his health challenges, we had the precious opportunity to watch many of...
- 4/2/2024
- by Jaden Thompson and Ellise Shafer
- Variety Film + TV
Jason Reitman and Gil Kenan conducted an extensive series of interviews with the living cast, writers and crew of the first-ever episode of Saturday Night Live, which aired on October 11, 1975 on NBC and has been going ever since. The result of their efforts is Sony Pictures’ upcoming SNL 1975, a movie retelling the story of that night.
The pic, which Reitman and Kenan co-wrote and which Reitman is directing, tells the chaotic behind-the-scenes story of what happened that first night, just before the live cameras clicked on to launch a late-night institution and a slew of eventual stars among the young, mostly unknown troupe of comedians including John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Chevy Chase and Gilda Radner, all under the watchful eye of creator Lorne Michaels.
Related: Who’s In The Season 49 Cast of ‘Saturday Night Live’
Some of the fun with SNL 1975 is following as the cast assembles to...
The pic, which Reitman and Kenan co-wrote and which Reitman is directing, tells the chaotic behind-the-scenes story of what happened that first night, just before the live cameras clicked on to launch a late-night institution and a slew of eventual stars among the young, mostly unknown troupe of comedians including John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Chevy Chase and Gilda Radner, all under the watchful eye of creator Lorne Michaels.
Related: Who’s In The Season 49 Cast of ‘Saturday Night Live’
Some of the fun with SNL 1975 is following as the cast assembles to...
- 3/29/2024
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
The currently in production film about Saturday Night Live’s first broadcast, SNL 1975, has cast Jon Batiste in the on-screen role of Billy Preston, the sketch show’s first-ever musical guest.
The Oscar, Grammy and Golden Globe Award-winning Batiste will also compose the score for the film, which is being directed by Jason Reitman.
Others cast in the Sony Pictures film include Gabriel Labelle as Lorne Michaels, Cooper Hoffman as NBC late-night executive Dick Ebersol, Ella Hunt as Gilda Radner, Dylan O’Brien as Dan Aykroyd, Cory Michael Smith as Chevy Chase, Matt Wood as John Belushi, Kim Matula as Jane Curtin, Emily Fairne as Laraine Newman, Nicholas Podano as Billy Crystal, Taylor Gray as Al Franken, Finn Wolfhard as an NBC page, and J.K. Simmons as Milton Berle.
Batiste’s participation in SNL 1975 represents a late-night return of sorts for Batiste, who lead the in-house band for CBS...
The Oscar, Grammy and Golden Globe Award-winning Batiste will also compose the score for the film, which is being directed by Jason Reitman.
Others cast in the Sony Pictures film include Gabriel Labelle as Lorne Michaels, Cooper Hoffman as NBC late-night executive Dick Ebersol, Ella Hunt as Gilda Radner, Dylan O’Brien as Dan Aykroyd, Cory Michael Smith as Chevy Chase, Matt Wood as John Belushi, Kim Matula as Jane Curtin, Emily Fairne as Laraine Newman, Nicholas Podano as Billy Crystal, Taylor Gray as Al Franken, Finn Wolfhard as an NBC page, and J.K. Simmons as Milton Berle.
Batiste’s participation in SNL 1975 represents a late-night return of sorts for Batiste, who lead the in-house band for CBS...
- 3/29/2024
- by A.J. Katz
- LateNighter
Jon Batiste is tackling dual responsibilities with Jason Reitman’s forthcoming feature that will focus on the opening night for NBC’s long-running sketch series Saturday Night Live.
Batiste will compose the score for the Sony Pictures film SNL 1975, and he will also appear in the movie as keyboardist and singer Billy Preston, who was the show’s first musical guest when it debuted Oct. 11, 1975. Centering on the behind-the-scenes moments leading up to that initial broadcast, Reitman’s film stars Gabriel Labelle as series creator Lorne Michaels, Cooper Hoffman as former NBC exec Dick Ebersol and Rachel Sennott as Michaels’ ex-wife and former SNL writer Rosie Shuster.
Reitman and Gil Kenan wrote the screenplay based on their interviews with living cast, scribes and crew about the launch of the show that is currently airing its 49th season. Reitman, Kenan, Jason Blumenfeld and Peter Rice serve as producers on SNL 1975...
Batiste will compose the score for the Sony Pictures film SNL 1975, and he will also appear in the movie as keyboardist and singer Billy Preston, who was the show’s first musical guest when it debuted Oct. 11, 1975. Centering on the behind-the-scenes moments leading up to that initial broadcast, Reitman’s film stars Gabriel Labelle as series creator Lorne Michaels, Cooper Hoffman as former NBC exec Dick Ebersol and Rachel Sennott as Michaels’ ex-wife and former SNL writer Rosie Shuster.
Reitman and Gil Kenan wrote the screenplay based on their interviews with living cast, scribes and crew about the launch of the show that is currently airing its 49th season. Reitman, Kenan, Jason Blumenfeld and Peter Rice serve as producers on SNL 1975...
- 3/28/2024
- by Ryan Gajewski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
It’s been nearly 70 years since Godzilla first step foot on the silver screen with Ishiro Honda’s 1954 opus, Gojira. What started as an allegory about the horrors of the atomic bomb and war has since been reimagined myriad times to cover everything from the awesome forces of nature to geopolitical alliances, the absurdities of consumerism to mankind’s inability to curb pollution. Whether Godzilla is a tragic monster, a defender of earth, or children’s role model, there’s no denying the appeal the Big G has to audiences.
After all, it’s damn entertaining to watch a giant monster stomping around the streets of a metropolis and leaving a path of destruction. Sure, American movies like King Kong and The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms primed American audiences for features of this magnitude. But really, it was Godzilla and the evolution of the IP’s unique genre of films — kaiju...
After all, it’s damn entertaining to watch a giant monster stomping around the streets of a metropolis and leaving a path of destruction. Sure, American movies like King Kong and The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms primed American audiences for features of this magnitude. But really, it was Godzilla and the evolution of the IP’s unique genre of films — kaiju...
- 3/28/2024
- by Kyle Cubr
- bloody-disgusting.com
J.K. Simmons has joined the cast of Jason Reitman’s SNL 1975, and not only will the Oscar winner be playing Hollywood legend Milton Berle, but he’ll have the notable distinction of becoming the first actual SNL host to join the cast of the Sony movie.
Simmons hosted the Jan. 31, 2015 episode of Saturday Night Live, which featured D’Angelo as the musical guest. At the time, Simmons was riding high off an Oscar nomination for Whiplash, and he would go on to win the Academy Award following his SNL hosting stint.
Meanwhile, Berle hosted SNL on April 14, 1979, and Ornette Coleman was his musical guest. It’s unclear where Berle fits into Reitman’s movie at this moment in time.
SNL 1975 is a behind-the-scenes account of the very first episode of Saturday Night Live. The film will reportedly unfold in real-time.
On the heels of playing Steven Spielberg in The Fabelmans,...
Simmons hosted the Jan. 31, 2015 episode of Saturday Night Live, which featured D’Angelo as the musical guest. At the time, Simmons was riding high off an Oscar nomination for Whiplash, and he would go on to win the Academy Award following his SNL hosting stint.
Meanwhile, Berle hosted SNL on April 14, 1979, and Ornette Coleman was his musical guest. It’s unclear where Berle fits into Reitman’s movie at this moment in time.
SNL 1975 is a behind-the-scenes account of the very first episode of Saturday Night Live. The film will reportedly unfold in real-time.
On the heels of playing Steven Spielberg in The Fabelmans,...
- 3/26/2024
- by Jeff Sneider
- LateNighter
In Hollywood, casting decisions can make or break a movie. Sometimes, the biggest roles almost end up in different hands, which changes the story. Take Ghostbusters, for example, the classic film with the guys chasing ghosts. Well, imagine if Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts were carrying those proton packs! Alongside them, crazy, right?
A still from Ghostbusters (1984)
We all know the Ghostbusters crew, isn’t that so? However, they might have looked totally different. Back in ’84, Ivan Reitman dropped this flick about a ghost-catching scientist in New York City, and it blew up. Fans and critics couldn’t get enough of it. Then, in 1989, a sequel was released, but it did not quite hit the same high notes.
Attempts to make a third Ghostbusters film persevered for quite a while, yet hit a roadblock with Harold Ramis’ passing in 2014. Paul Feig’s 2016 reboot of the franchise featured an all-female team with nods to the originals.
A still from Ghostbusters (1984)
We all know the Ghostbusters crew, isn’t that so? However, they might have looked totally different. Back in ’84, Ivan Reitman dropped this flick about a ghost-catching scientist in New York City, and it blew up. Fans and critics couldn’t get enough of it. Then, in 1989, a sequel was released, but it did not quite hit the same high notes.
Attempts to make a third Ghostbusters film persevered for quite a while, yet hit a roadblock with Harold Ramis’ passing in 2014. Paul Feig’s 2016 reboot of the franchise featured an all-female team with nods to the originals.
- 3/24/2024
- by Muskan Chaudhary
- FandomWire
The summer of ’84 was golden. The Summer Olympics and the Olympics Arts Festival transformed host city Los Angeles into an athletic and artistic mecca. Bruce Springsteen was burning up arenas with his “Born in the USA” tour. Geraldine Ferraro made history when she was named Democratic presidential candidate Walter Mondale’s running mate making her the first woman to be part of a major party’s national ticket.
And the quirky horror comedy “Ghostbusters” was scaring up big bucks at the box office. Taking in in nearly $300 million, it was the No. 1 film of the year. Directed by the late Ivan Reitman “Ghostbusters” starred Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, Ernie Hudson, Sigourney Weaver, Rick Moranis and Annie Potts and revolved around a group of parapsychologists who open a ghost removal service in New York City. Ray Parker’s catchy theme song hit No. 1 and was nominated for an Oscar...
And the quirky horror comedy “Ghostbusters” was scaring up big bucks at the box office. Taking in in nearly $300 million, it was the No. 1 film of the year. Directed by the late Ivan Reitman “Ghostbusters” starred Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, Ernie Hudson, Sigourney Weaver, Rick Moranis and Annie Potts and revolved around a group of parapsychologists who open a ghost removal service in New York City. Ray Parker’s catchy theme song hit No. 1 and was nominated for an Oscar...
- 3/22/2024
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
One day in 1979, the phone rang at producer Bob Weiss’ house. “Be on your property tonight,” said the voice on the other line. According to the book Wild and Crazy Guys: The Comedy Mavericks of the ’80s Changed Hollywood Forever by Nick de Semlyen, later that evening, an object came flying over the fence and onto Weiss’ backyard. It was the script for a Blues Brothers movie that Wiess commissioned from Dan Aykroyd, who created the musical comedy act with John Belushi for Saturday Night Live.
If the way that Aykroyd delivered the manuscript was odd, the contents inside were even weirder. Titled The Return of the Blues Brothers and credited to the “Scriptatron Gl-9000,” the script was 324 pages long, far more than the 120 page standard, and filled with unlikely digressions.
Weiss shouldn’t have been surprised. Even if the 26-year-old Aykroyd had written a script before (he hadn’t...
If the way that Aykroyd delivered the manuscript was odd, the contents inside were even weirder. Titled The Return of the Blues Brothers and credited to the “Scriptatron Gl-9000,” the script was 324 pages long, far more than the 120 page standard, and filled with unlikely digressions.
Weiss shouldn’t have been surprised. Even if the 26-year-old Aykroyd had written a script before (he hadn’t...
- 3/22/2024
- by Joe George
- Den of Geek
Ghostbusters movies stretch credulity, but this is ridiculous.
At the start of Ghostbusters II, Ray Stantz (Dan Aykroyd) and Winston Zeddemore (Ernie Hudson) perform for bored kids at a birthday party. It’s only been five years since they blew up the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man in downtown New York and destroyed Gozer’s portal atop a city high rise. And yet, no one remembers the work the boys did to save the city.
In Ghostbusters: Afterlife, the Ghostbusters are completely unknown to Gen Z, even to the grandchildren of Egon Spengler (Harold Ramis), even to a kid so into podcasts that he calls himself Podcast. It’s only been 30 years since the team drove the Statue of Liberty down the center of the city.
Even in this age of fake news and disinformation, the public’s willingness to forget about the events of each previous Ghostbusters movie is a strange...
At the start of Ghostbusters II, Ray Stantz (Dan Aykroyd) and Winston Zeddemore (Ernie Hudson) perform for bored kids at a birthday party. It’s only been five years since they blew up the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man in downtown New York and destroyed Gozer’s portal atop a city high rise. And yet, no one remembers the work the boys did to save the city.
In Ghostbusters: Afterlife, the Ghostbusters are completely unknown to Gen Z, even to the grandchildren of Egon Spengler (Harold Ramis), even to a kid so into podcasts that he calls himself Podcast. It’s only been 30 years since the team drove the Statue of Liberty down the center of the city.
Even in this age of fake news and disinformation, the public’s willingness to forget about the events of each previous Ghostbusters movie is a strange...
- 3/19/2024
- by Joe George
- Den of Geek
Who ya gonna call? Well, if you’re one of the next generation of Ghostbusters, you can probably ring up one of the Og crew, as it turns out they’ve been more than receptive to the younger cast of Frozen Empire. Finn Wolfhard and Dan Aykroyd living together? Mass hysteria!
As Wolfhard told The Hollywood Reporter in promotion for Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (and some TV show called Stranger Things – the dude is busy!), the original cast has been welcoming to the new blood, saying, “We spent so many days together on set, and we hung out a few times outside of set as well. Dan [Aykroyd], Annie [Potts] and everyone are such open books, and you can ask them anything about their lives and their industry stories. You can ask Dan about SNL in 1975, and he just remembers it all off the top of his head. So it’s really surreal...
As Wolfhard told The Hollywood Reporter in promotion for Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (and some TV show called Stranger Things – the dude is busy!), the original cast has been welcoming to the new blood, saying, “We spent so many days together on set, and we hung out a few times outside of set as well. Dan [Aykroyd], Annie [Potts] and everyone are such open books, and you can ask them anything about their lives and their industry stories. You can ask Dan about SNL in 1975, and he just remembers it all off the top of his head. So it’s really surreal...
- 3/16/2024
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
Released in 1984, Ivan Reitman’s supernatural comedy film Ghostbusters has become a cultural phenomenon, with its memorable story and iconic characters portrayed by Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Sigourney Weaver, Harold Ramis, and Ernie Hudson.
And the original cast of the film is set to return in the upcoming film in the franchise, Frozen Empire. Fans are highly eager to see the original cast of the film returning to the screen alongside the new cast, as it certainly seems impossible to imagine anyone else in the ghost-busting ensemble.
Ghostbusters
However, the casting process could have taken a different direction as the filmmakers had other names in mind as well, even for Murray’s iconic character Peter Venkman. Dan Aykroyd wrote the character for the late actor-comedian John Belushi.
Suggested‘Ghostbusters’ Actor Ernie Hudson Reveals the 1 Thing That Makes the Bill Murray Franchise Relevant Even After 40 Years
However, the actor sadly passed...
And the original cast of the film is set to return in the upcoming film in the franchise, Frozen Empire. Fans are highly eager to see the original cast of the film returning to the screen alongside the new cast, as it certainly seems impossible to imagine anyone else in the ghost-busting ensemble.
Ghostbusters
However, the casting process could have taken a different direction as the filmmakers had other names in mind as well, even for Murray’s iconic character Peter Venkman. Dan Aykroyd wrote the character for the late actor-comedian John Belushi.
Suggested‘Ghostbusters’ Actor Ernie Hudson Reveals the 1 Thing That Makes the Bill Murray Franchise Relevant Even After 40 Years
However, the actor sadly passed...
- 3/16/2024
- by Laxmi Rajput
- FandomWire
Talk about loyalty.
Betty Buckley has been staying at the Chateau Marmont for about 50 years. She first checked in when she was filming her big screen debut as gym teacher Miss Collins in “Carrie” and then when she landed the role of Abby Bradford, Dick Van Patten’s new wife and stepmother to his kids in ABC’s 1970s family comedy-drama “Eight Is Enough.”
After half a century calling the Chateau her Los Angeles home — she lives full-time at a ranch outside of Fort Worth, Texas — Buckley has a lot of stories.
“Oh, there are some wild ones,” the 76-year-old actor and singer says while nibbling on a fruit and cheese plate in the hotel’s lobby restaurant on a recent weekday afternoon. She’s in town promoting her new horror movie, “Imaginary.”
Buckley quickly recalls becoming friends with John Belushi, first in New York City and then when he...
Betty Buckley has been staying at the Chateau Marmont for about 50 years. She first checked in when she was filming her big screen debut as gym teacher Miss Collins in “Carrie” and then when she landed the role of Abby Bradford, Dick Van Patten’s new wife and stepmother to his kids in ABC’s 1970s family comedy-drama “Eight Is Enough.”
After half a century calling the Chateau her Los Angeles home — she lives full-time at a ranch outside of Fort Worth, Texas — Buckley has a lot of stories.
“Oh, there are some wild ones,” the 76-year-old actor and singer says while nibbling on a fruit and cheese plate in the hotel’s lobby restaurant on a recent weekday afternoon. She’s in town promoting her new horror movie, “Imaginary.”
Buckley quickly recalls becoming friends with John Belushi, first in New York City and then when he...
- 3/9/2024
- by Marc Malkin
- Variety Film + TV
The 2007 John C. Reilly comedy Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story has become a cult hit in recent years, largely as a result of the skill with which it dissects and eviscerates the genre it satirizes.
The film so deftly laid bare the tropes and cliches of the rock star biopic that many predicted it would forever change the way filmmakers approached stories about dead celebs.
And for a while, it seemed like the trick had worked.
Leaving aside for a moment any discussion about the quality of these films, there's no denying that Elvis, Blonde, Maestro, Jackie, Priscilla, and Oppenheimer all offered new takes on a very familiar subgenre.
(That last one, admittedly, is a bit of an outlier, as we're not sure if a theoretical physicist -- even one who altered the course of world history -- can properly be called a celebrity.)
But in recent years, the...
The film so deftly laid bare the tropes and cliches of the rock star biopic that many predicted it would forever change the way filmmakers approached stories about dead celebs.
And for a while, it seemed like the trick had worked.
Leaving aside for a moment any discussion about the quality of these films, there's no denying that Elvis, Blonde, Maestro, Jackie, Priscilla, and Oppenheimer all offered new takes on a very familiar subgenre.
(That last one, admittedly, is a bit of an outlier, as we're not sure if a theoretical physicist -- even one who altered the course of world history -- can properly be called a celebrity.)
But in recent years, the...
- 3/7/2024
- by Tyler Johnson
- TVfanatic
Nicholas Braun has been cast as Jim Henson in SNL 1975, the Sony Pictures project set to tell the story of the earliest days of Saturday Night Live.
Henson’s Muppets were a regular part of SNL’s first season, appearing in a total of 13 episodes.
Braun joins a cast that includes Gabriel Labelle, who is portraying SNL creator Lorne Michaels, as well as Rachel Sennott (as Rosie Shuster), Dylan O’Brien (as Dan Aykroyd), Cooper Hoffman (as Dick Ebersol), Ella Hunt (as Gilda Radner), Kim Matula (as Jane Curtin), Cory Michael Smith (as Chevy Chase), and Matt Wood (as John Belushi).
Deadline has also confirmed that stage actor Nicholas Podany is set to portray Billy Crystal, while head writer Michael O’Donoghue will be played by Tommy Dewey.
SNL 1975 will be directed by Jason Reitman, who co-wrote the project with Gil Kenan and reportedly interviewed all living cast members and...
Henson’s Muppets were a regular part of SNL’s first season, appearing in a total of 13 episodes.
Braun joins a cast that includes Gabriel Labelle, who is portraying SNL creator Lorne Michaels, as well as Rachel Sennott (as Rosie Shuster), Dylan O’Brien (as Dan Aykroyd), Cooper Hoffman (as Dick Ebersol), Ella Hunt (as Gilda Radner), Kim Matula (as Jane Curtin), Cory Michael Smith (as Chevy Chase), and Matt Wood (as John Belushi).
Deadline has also confirmed that stage actor Nicholas Podany is set to portray Billy Crystal, while head writer Michael O’Donoghue will be played by Tommy Dewey.
SNL 1975 will be directed by Jason Reitman, who co-wrote the project with Gil Kenan and reportedly interviewed all living cast members and...
- 3/7/2024
- by Mary Siroky
- Consequence - Film News
Steve Lawrence, the charismatic Grammy- and Emmy-winning crooner who delighted audiences for decades in nightclubs, on concert stages and in film and television appearances, died Thursday. He was 88.
Lawrence, who partnered in a popular act with his wife of 55 years, the late Eydie Gormé, died of complications from Alzheimer’s disease, a publicidst announced.
With his boyish good looks, silky voice and breezy personality, Lawrence broke into show business when he won a talent competition on Arthur Godfrey’s CBS show and signed with King Records as a teenager. The singer chose to stay old school and resist the allure of rock ‘n’ roll.
“It didn’t attract me as much,” Lawrence once said. “I grew up in a time period when music was written by Irving Berlin and Cole Porter and George and Ira Gershwin and Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein and Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart and Sammy Cahn and Julie Stein.
Lawrence, who partnered in a popular act with his wife of 55 years, the late Eydie Gormé, died of complications from Alzheimer’s disease, a publicidst announced.
With his boyish good looks, silky voice and breezy personality, Lawrence broke into show business when he won a talent competition on Arthur Godfrey’s CBS show and signed with King Records as a teenager. The singer chose to stay old school and resist the allure of rock ‘n’ roll.
“It didn’t attract me as much,” Lawrence once said. “I grew up in a time period when music was written by Irving Berlin and Cole Porter and George and Ira Gershwin and Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein and Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart and Sammy Cahn and Julie Stein.
- 3/7/2024
- by Chris Koseluk
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Netflix comedy movies in March 2024 cover every subgenre in the category. Whether you’re looking to stream slapstick, a rom-com, or something with a side of horror, Netflix’s March additions have something for you.
While any time is a good time to watch a comedy, springtime and laughs can go hand-in-hand. With warmer weather (and summer blockbusters) around the corner, spend your March with Netflix’s best comedy movies.
‘Beverly Hills Ninja’ Coming to Netflix March 1
Celebrate comedy legend Chris Farley by streaming Beverly Hills Ninja on Netflix beginning March 1. The 1997 martial arts comedy marks the final film released during Farley’s lifetime, as the actor died less than a year after its release.
Farley stars as Haru, adopted as a child by a clan of ninjas who believe he’ll become the master promised in legends. As expected, Haru never entirely becomes a ninja despite his best efforts.
While any time is a good time to watch a comedy, springtime and laughs can go hand-in-hand. With warmer weather (and summer blockbusters) around the corner, spend your March with Netflix’s best comedy movies.
‘Beverly Hills Ninja’ Coming to Netflix March 1
Celebrate comedy legend Chris Farley by streaming Beverly Hills Ninja on Netflix beginning March 1. The 1997 martial arts comedy marks the final film released during Farley’s lifetime, as the actor died less than a year after its release.
Farley stars as Haru, adopted as a child by a clan of ninjas who believe he’ll become the master promised in legends. As expected, Haru never entirely becomes a ninja despite his best efforts.
- 3/1/2024
- by Matt Moore
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Vinegar Syndrome just put a Massive lineup of new releases up for grabs this afternoon, making one thing crystal clear: in the horror world, physical media is alive & well in 2024!
First up, Vinegar Syndrome’s March 2024 lineup includes the 4K Uhd debut of the landmark horror anthology and Amicus classic, Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors from 1965.
The March package also includes Specters (1987), Singapore Sling (1990), Story of a Junkie (1985), and Goin’ South (1978), while Nightbeast (1982) gets a VHS release.
Vinegar Syndrome further details, “We’re getting in the Halloween spirit 7 months early with the 4K Uhd debut of director Freddie Francis’ landmark horror anthology and Amicus classic, Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors (1965), newly and exclusively restored by Vs from its 35mm camera negative and overflowing with an array of archival interviews and other exciting extras. Moving two decades on, we’ve paired a duo of devilish supernatural horrors from director Marcello Avallone...
First up, Vinegar Syndrome’s March 2024 lineup includes the 4K Uhd debut of the landmark horror anthology and Amicus classic, Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors from 1965.
The March package also includes Specters (1987), Singapore Sling (1990), Story of a Junkie (1985), and Goin’ South (1978), while Nightbeast (1982) gets a VHS release.
Vinegar Syndrome further details, “We’re getting in the Halloween spirit 7 months early with the 4K Uhd debut of director Freddie Francis’ landmark horror anthology and Amicus classic, Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors (1965), newly and exclusively restored by Vs from its 35mm camera negative and overflowing with an array of archival interviews and other exciting extras. Moving two decades on, we’ve paired a duo of devilish supernatural horrors from director Marcello Avallone...
- 3/1/2024
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
Tony Ganios, the actor who made his film debut in Philip Kaufman’s 1979 coming-of-age comedy-drama The Wanderers and played audience favorite Anthony ‘Meat’ Tuperello in the 1980s Porky’s sex comedy franchise, died Sunday following surgery at a hospital in New York. He was 64.
His death was announced on social media by his fiancée, Amanda Serrano-Ganios, who said that the actor fell ill last week, was hospitalized Saturday with a spinal cord infection, and passed away Sunday of heart failure.
Cast as one of the Bronx Italian-American street toughs in the 1963-set The Wanderers, based on the novel by Richard Price, Ganios became, for much of the ’80s, a go-to actor for directors looking for a touch of East Coast flavor. Ganios re-teamed with his Wanderers co-star Ken Wahl for a recurring role as a mob lawyer on Wahl’s 1987-90 crime series Wiseguy.
John Friedrich, Ken Wahl, Tony Ganios,...
His death was announced on social media by his fiancée, Amanda Serrano-Ganios, who said that the actor fell ill last week, was hospitalized Saturday with a spinal cord infection, and passed away Sunday of heart failure.
Cast as one of the Bronx Italian-American street toughs in the 1963-set The Wanderers, based on the novel by Richard Price, Ganios became, for much of the ’80s, a go-to actor for directors looking for a touch of East Coast flavor. Ganios re-teamed with his Wanderers co-star Ken Wahl for a recurring role as a mob lawyer on Wahl’s 1987-90 crime series Wiseguy.
John Friedrich, Ken Wahl, Tony Ganios,...
- 2/20/2024
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Chicago – Bill Murray is a son of Chicagoland, born and raised in the area and beginning his career at The Second City. To honor his friend and collaborator Harold Ramis, Murray made an appearance on February 2nd, 2024, on Chicago’s Navy Pier on behalf of Harold Ramis Day and of course his classic film “Groundhog Day.”
Bill Murray Back in his Home Land
Photo credit: Joe Arce of Starstruck Foto for HollywoodChicago.com
William James “Bill” Murray was born in Chicago-adjacent Evanston and grew up in nearby Wilmette. After an attempt at college, he followed his brother Brian Doyle Murray to The Second City and found his performance niche. He moved to New York City when fellow Second City vet John Belushi recruited him for “The National Lampoon Radio Hour.” After missing out on the original cast of “Saturday Night Live” in 1975, he did a stint on Howard Cosell’s...
Bill Murray Back in his Home Land
Photo credit: Joe Arce of Starstruck Foto for HollywoodChicago.com
William James “Bill” Murray was born in Chicago-adjacent Evanston and grew up in nearby Wilmette. After an attempt at college, he followed his brother Brian Doyle Murray to The Second City and found his performance niche. He moved to New York City when fellow Second City vet John Belushi recruited him for “The National Lampoon Radio Hour.” After missing out on the original cast of “Saturday Night Live” in 1975, he did a stint on Howard Cosell’s...
- 2/12/2024
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Watch this exclusive clip from The Tiger’s Apprentice, a heartwarming, fun, and beautifully animated film that the whole family can enjoy for the Lunar New Year.
“Based on the popular children’s book series of the same name by Laurence Yep, The Tiger’s Apprentice follows Chinese-American teenager Tom Lee (Soo Hoo), whose life changes forever when he discovers he is part of a long lineage of magical protectors known as the Guardians… In this clip, Henry Golding’s mythical tiger character meets Tom for the first time.”
Watch the trailer
Lego is celebrating 25 years of Star Wars sets in style, including a very highly-anticipated Knights of the Old Republic mini-figure.
“Today Lego confirmed the first details for a wave of special 25th anniversary Star Wars sets, due to begin releasing in March, drawing from across the Star Wars saga… Several of the kits will also include a bonus minifigure, highlighting...
“Based on the popular children’s book series of the same name by Laurence Yep, The Tiger’s Apprentice follows Chinese-American teenager Tom Lee (Soo Hoo), whose life changes forever when he discovers he is part of a long lineage of magical protectors known as the Guardians… In this clip, Henry Golding’s mythical tiger character meets Tom for the first time.”
Watch the trailer
Lego is celebrating 25 years of Star Wars sets in style, including a very highly-anticipated Knights of the Old Republic mini-figure.
“Today Lego confirmed the first details for a wave of special 25th anniversary Star Wars sets, due to begin releasing in March, drawing from across the Star Wars saga… Several of the kits will also include a bonus minifigure, highlighting...
- 1/31/2024
- by Michael Ahr
- Den of Geek
Jason Reitman is staying mighty busy these days. Less than 24 hours after the release of the latest trailer for "Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire," four major casting announcements were made for his next project, "SNL 1975." The film will attempt to tell the true story of what went on behind the scenes before the broadcast premiere of "Saturday Night Live" on NBC, highlighting the real-time bedlam with some of the most legendary names in American comedy. Reitman co-wrote the script with his "Ghostbusters" collaborator Gil Kenan and is basing the story on the firsthand accounts of those who were there. Lest we forget, Reitman's father is the legendary Ivan Reitman, so these comedy titans were the friends and colleagues of the family. If anyone can get serious insight, it's Reitman.
The first wave of cast announcements included some serious heavy hitters, with "The Fabelmans" star Gabriel Labelle landing the role of Lorne Michaels,...
The first wave of cast announcements included some serious heavy hitters, with "The Fabelmans" star Gabriel Labelle landing the role of Lorne Michaels,...
- 1/30/2024
- by BJ Colangelo
- Slash Film
While they've been focused on their Ghostbusters films of late, with the newest, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire less than two months away now, Jason Reitman and Gil Kenan have also been putting the pieces together for something that draws on no little amount of nostalgia (not to mention a connection to Dan Aykroyd): SNL 1975, about the fraught first night of Saturday Night Live. The duo (with Reitman directing and Kenan writing) have built the cast and are now adding Lamorne Morris, Dylan O’Brien, Cory Michael Smith and Matt Wood to the line-up.
Here's the official synopsis: "On October 11, 1975, a ferocious troupe of young comedians and writers changed television forever. SNL 1975 is the true story of what happened behind the scenes that night in the moments leading up to the first broadcast of NBC’s Saturday Night Live. It depicts the chaos and magic of a revolution that almost wasn’t,...
Here's the official synopsis: "On October 11, 1975, a ferocious troupe of young comedians and writers changed television forever. SNL 1975 is the true story of what happened behind the scenes that night in the moments leading up to the first broadcast of NBC’s Saturday Night Live. It depicts the chaos and magic of a revolution that almost wasn’t,...
- 1/30/2024
- by James White
- Empire - Movies
Live, from New York, it’s… filmmaker Jason Reitman’s new feature about the launch of “Saturday Night Live.”
Co-written by Reitman and his frequent collaborator Gil Kenan and directed by Reitman, “SNL 1975” will dramatize the events of October 11, 1975, when the venerable sketch comedy series debuted on television. According to Deadline, which has broken numerous stories about the forthcoming film, “SNL 1975” tells “the true story of what happened behind the scenes that night in the moments leading up to the first broadcast of NBC’s ‘SNL.’ It depicts the chaos and magic of a revolution that almost wasn’t, counting down the minutes in real-time to the [famous] words, ‘Live from New York, it’s Saturday Night!’”
Reitman and Kenan based their screenplay on an “extensive series of interviews conducted by Reitman and Kenan with all the living cast members, writers, and crew.” The project will start production soon,...
Co-written by Reitman and his frequent collaborator Gil Kenan and directed by Reitman, “SNL 1975” will dramatize the events of October 11, 1975, when the venerable sketch comedy series debuted on television. According to Deadline, which has broken numerous stories about the forthcoming film, “SNL 1975” tells “the true story of what happened behind the scenes that night in the moments leading up to the first broadcast of NBC’s ‘SNL.’ It depicts the chaos and magic of a revolution that almost wasn’t, counting down the minutes in real-time to the [famous] words, ‘Live from New York, it’s Saturday Night!’”
Reitman and Kenan based their screenplay on an “extensive series of interviews conducted by Reitman and Kenan with all the living cast members, writers, and crew.” The project will start production soon,...
- 1/30/2024
- by Christopher Rosen
- Gold Derby
Hold onto your sides and prepare yourself for stitches because the SNL 1975 cast is ready to welcome four new players to the stage. Lamorne Morris, Dylan O’Brien, Cory Micheal Smith, and Matt Wood will play Garrett Morris, Dan Aykroyd, Chevy Chase, and John Belushi, respectively. They join previously announced cast members Ella Hunt as Gilda Radner, Emily Fairn as Laraine Newman, and Kim Matula as Jane Curtin.
Jason Reitman will direct SNL 1975 and co-write the screenplay with Gil Keenan. SNL 1975 explores the evening of October 11, 1975, when “a ferocious troupe of young comedians and writers changed television forever. SNL 1975 is the true story of what happened behind the scenes that night in the moments leading up to the first broadcast of NBC’s Saturday Night Live. It depicts the chaos and magic of a revolution that almost wasn’t, counting down the minutes in real-time to the infamous words,...
Jason Reitman will direct SNL 1975 and co-write the screenplay with Gil Keenan. SNL 1975 explores the evening of October 11, 1975, when “a ferocious troupe of young comedians and writers changed television forever. SNL 1975 is the true story of what happened behind the scenes that night in the moments leading up to the first broadcast of NBC’s Saturday Night Live. It depicts the chaos and magic of a revolution that almost wasn’t, counting down the minutes in real-time to the infamous words,...
- 1/30/2024
- by Steve Seigh
- JoBlo.com
Live from New York, it’s… Jason Reitman’s SNL 1975.
The film, which was written by Reitman (who also will direct) and Gil Kenan based on first-hand accounts of the first-ever Saturday Night Live taping, has enlisted Gabriel Labelle to play SNL honcho Lorne Michaels, our sister site Deadline reports.
More from TVLineSNL Video: Dakota Johnson Destroys Please Don't DestroySNL: A Family's Home Videos Binge Takes a Maury Povich-y TurnArrow's Emily Bett Rickards and Stephen Amell Reunite... for an Old West Shoot-'Em-Up? Watch Movie Trailer
Best known for starring in Steven Spielberg’s 2022 film The Fabelmans, Labelle also has...
The film, which was written by Reitman (who also will direct) and Gil Kenan based on first-hand accounts of the first-ever Saturday Night Live taping, has enlisted Gabriel Labelle to play SNL honcho Lorne Michaels, our sister site Deadline reports.
More from TVLineSNL Video: Dakota Johnson Destroys Please Don't DestroySNL: A Family's Home Videos Binge Takes a Maury Povich-y TurnArrow's Emily Bett Rickards and Stephen Amell Reunite... for an Old West Shoot-'Em-Up? Watch Movie Trailer
Best known for starring in Steven Spielberg’s 2022 film The Fabelmans, Labelle also has...
- 1/30/2024
- by Andy Swift and Ryan Schwartz
- TVLine.com
Lamorne Morris and Dylan O’Brien are among those who are set to play original Saturday Night Live castmembers in Jason Reitman’s feature SNL 1975, about the debut night for the venerable comedy series.
Morris is set to portray Garrett Morris, while O’Brien has landed the role of Dan Aykroyd. Additionally, Cory Michael Smith will play Chevy Chase in the film, while Matt Wood is joining the cast as John Belushi.
Reitman is directing the film for Sony Pictures from a script he co-wrote with Gil Kenan. Based on the screenwriters’ interviews with the show’s living cast, scribes and crew, the film is set to focus on the formative moment in October 1975 for the NBC sketch show that is currently airing its 49th season.
The movie’s previously announced castmembers include Gabriel Labelle (The Fabelmans) as SNL creator Lorne Michaels, Cooper Hoffman (Licorice Pizza) as former NBC executive Dick Ebersol,...
Morris is set to portray Garrett Morris, while O’Brien has landed the role of Dan Aykroyd. Additionally, Cory Michael Smith will play Chevy Chase in the film, while Matt Wood is joining the cast as John Belushi.
Reitman is directing the film for Sony Pictures from a script he co-wrote with Gil Kenan. Based on the screenwriters’ interviews with the show’s living cast, scribes and crew, the film is set to focus on the formative moment in October 1975 for the NBC sketch show that is currently airing its 49th season.
The movie’s previously announced castmembers include Gabriel Labelle (The Fabelmans) as SNL creator Lorne Michaels, Cooper Hoffman (Licorice Pizza) as former NBC executive Dick Ebersol,...
- 1/30/2024
- by Ryan Gajewski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The late night sketch comedy series "Saturday Night Live" is still going strong. The series is currently in the middle of its 49th season, and word on the street is that there's quite the celebration around the corner for the show's 50th anniversary, which will come around this fall. There have been rumblings that series creator and longtime executive producer Lorne Michaels may step down from his post at "SNL" when the 50th season is over, but there hasn't been any confirmation just yet, even though Tina Fey seems to be primed to take the gig if that happens. However, there's another big "SNL" event coming soon too, in the form of a movie about the show's premiere on October 11, 1975.
Last spring, Sony Pictures set director Jason Reitman to direct "SNL 1975," a movie that will chronicle the real-time, behind-the-scenes chaos and miraculous magic leading right up to the show's debut on NBC.
Last spring, Sony Pictures set director Jason Reitman to direct "SNL 1975," a movie that will chronicle the real-time, behind-the-scenes chaos and miraculous magic leading right up to the show's debut on NBC.
- 1/19/2024
- by Ethan Anderton
- Slash Film
Gabriel Labelle, Cooper Hoffman and Rachel Sennott have been cast in Jason Reitman’s feature SNL 1975 about the early days of Saturday Night Live.
Reitman is directing the film for Sony Pictures about the debut night in October 1975 of the NBC sketch show that is currently airing its 49th season. Labelle, who had a breakout role in Steven Spielberg’s 2022 semi-autobiographical drama The Fabelmans, is set to play SNL creator Lorne Michaels.
Hoffman (Licorice Pizza) is attached as former NBC executive Dick Ebersol, while Sennott (Bottoms) will play Michaels’ ex-wife Rosie Shuster.
Reitman wrote the script with Gil Kenan, based on the pair’s extensive interviews with all of the show’s living cast, scribes and crew. Reitman and Kenan previously co-wrote Sony’s Ghostbusters: Afterlife and its forthcoming sequel, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, which hits theaters in March.
SNL 1975 counts Reitman, Kenan, Jason Blumenfeld, Erica Mills and Peter Rice as producers.
Reitman is directing the film for Sony Pictures about the debut night in October 1975 of the NBC sketch show that is currently airing its 49th season. Labelle, who had a breakout role in Steven Spielberg’s 2022 semi-autobiographical drama The Fabelmans, is set to play SNL creator Lorne Michaels.
Hoffman (Licorice Pizza) is attached as former NBC executive Dick Ebersol, while Sennott (Bottoms) will play Michaels’ ex-wife Rosie Shuster.
Reitman wrote the script with Gil Kenan, based on the pair’s extensive interviews with all of the show’s living cast, scribes and crew. Reitman and Kenan previously co-wrote Sony’s Ghostbusters: Afterlife and its forthcoming sequel, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, which hits theaters in March.
SNL 1975 counts Reitman, Kenan, Jason Blumenfeld, Erica Mills and Peter Rice as producers.
- 1/19/2024
- by Ryan Gajewski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Exclusive: Jason Reitman’s Saturday Night Live origin pic is gaining a ton of momentum as Gabriel Labelle is set to play Lorne Michaels, Cooper Hoffman is on board to play Dick Ebersol and Rachel Sennott will play Rosie Shuster. Reitman will write and direct.
SNL 1975 is based on the real-life behind-the-scenes accounts of the NBC late-night show’s opening night. Reitman and Gil Kenan wrote the script.
On October 11, 1975, a ferocious troupe of young comedians and writers changed television forever. SNL 1975 is the true story of what happened that night behind the scenes in the moments leading up to the first broadcast of SNL. It depicts the chaos and magic of a revolution that almost wasn’t, counting down the minutes in real time to the infamous words, “Live from New York, it’s Saturday Night!” The screenplay is based on an extensive series of interviews conducted...
SNL 1975 is based on the real-life behind-the-scenes accounts of the NBC late-night show’s opening night. Reitman and Gil Kenan wrote the script.
On October 11, 1975, a ferocious troupe of young comedians and writers changed television forever. SNL 1975 is the true story of what happened that night behind the scenes in the moments leading up to the first broadcast of SNL. It depicts the chaos and magic of a revolution that almost wasn’t, counting down the minutes in real time to the infamous words, “Live from New York, it’s Saturday Night!” The screenplay is based on an extensive series of interviews conducted...
- 1/19/2024
- by Justin Kroll
- Deadline Film + TV
If anyone should be able to engineer a reunion of “Saturday Night Live” alumni, it should be Dan Aykroyd.
A member of the show’s first cast of “Not Ready for Prime-Time Players,” Aykroyd was also among the first to jump from “SNL” to Hollywood and continues to tour with a band based on The Blues Brothers group he and John Belushi originated on the NBC mainstay.
But Aykroyd’s new project takes “SNL” formers to decidedly new terrain.
Aykroyd, Jim Belushi, Jon Lovitz, Kevin Nealon and “Cheers” alumni George Wendt (who made a name on “SNL” as the character Bob Swerski of the Chicago Superfans), have teamed up to lead subscribers of the streaming outlet Fox Nation through a history of drinking. In “A History of the World in Six Glasses,”which debuted this week, the comic sextuplet examines some of the political and cultural ramifications in the rise of beer,...
A member of the show’s first cast of “Not Ready for Prime-Time Players,” Aykroyd was also among the first to jump from “SNL” to Hollywood and continues to tour with a band based on The Blues Brothers group he and John Belushi originated on the NBC mainstay.
But Aykroyd’s new project takes “SNL” formers to decidedly new terrain.
Aykroyd, Jim Belushi, Jon Lovitz, Kevin Nealon and “Cheers” alumni George Wendt (who made a name on “SNL” as the character Bob Swerski of the Chicago Superfans), have teamed up to lead subscribers of the streaming outlet Fox Nation through a history of drinking. In “A History of the World in Six Glasses,”which debuted this week, the comic sextuplet examines some of the political and cultural ramifications in the rise of beer,...
- 1/10/2024
- by Brian Steinberg
- Variety Film + TV
Marc Charles Williams, better known as Mars Williams, the front-and-center saxophonist of ’80s New Wave bands The Waitresses and The Psychedelic Furs, died Nov. 20 of the rare and aggressive ampullary cancer in a Chicago hospice facility. He was 68.
His death was announced by his family on a GoFundMe page last month, but has more recently gained widespread attention. His brother Paul R. Williams confirmed the cause of death to The New York Times for an obituary posted today.
Following his initial stints in the Waitresses and Psychedelic Furs – both bands were early MTV favorites with videos often spotlighting the playful Williams, and he would reunite with the Furs throughout his life – the saxophonist went on to lead his own jazz ensembles including the influential, Grammy-nominated acid jazz group Liquid Soul in the 1990s.
A statement posted by his family on the GoFundMe page reads, in part, “Until the end, Mars’ inexhaustible humor and energy,...
His death was announced by his family on a GoFundMe page last month, but has more recently gained widespread attention. His brother Paul R. Williams confirmed the cause of death to The New York Times for an obituary posted today.
Following his initial stints in the Waitresses and Psychedelic Furs – both bands were early MTV favorites with videos often spotlighting the playful Williams, and he would reunite with the Furs throughout his life – the saxophonist went on to lead his own jazz ensembles including the influential, Grammy-nominated acid jazz group Liquid Soul in the 1990s.
A statement posted by his family on the GoFundMe page reads, in part, “Until the end, Mars’ inexhaustible humor and energy,...
- 12/22/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
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