Moviefone Editorial

Tag: snl

  • ‘Lorne’ Exclusive Interview: Director Morgan Neville

    lT4TqfR9

    Opening in theaters on April 17th is the new documentary from Oscar winning filmmaker Morgan Neville (‘Man on the Run’) called ‘Lorne’, which chronicles the life and career of ‘Saturday Night Live’ creator Lorne Michaels.

    bafIOFHvIKcKmC2z1KdQN1
    'Lorne' director Morgan Neville.
    ‘Lorne’ director Morgan Neville.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with director Morgan Neville about his work on ‘Lorne’, the style of the documentary, making it funny, his unprecedented access to ‘Saturday Night Live’, the show’s darkest period, conducting the interviews, what he learned about Lorne from making the movie, and the future of the long running show.

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interview.

    Related Article: Morgan Neville Talks Paul McCartney Documentary ‘Man on the Run’

    Lorne Michaels stars in director Morgan Neville's documentary 'Lorne', a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features. © 2026 All Rights Reserved.
    Lorne Michaels stars in director Morgan Neville’s documentary ‘Lorne’, a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features. © 2026 All Rights Reserved.

    Moviefone: To begin with, the film plays almost like an ‘SNL’ parody of a celebrity biopic with animated sequences and Chris Parnell’s narration. Was that what you set out to do from the beginning or did you have to pivot when you realized you might not get what you need from Lorne Michaels himself?

    Morgan Neville: I think my intent in the beginning was, I want this to be funny. I didn’t know how exactly. But beyond that, I don’t entirely have a plan about what the film is going to be. I know it had all these great ingredients. I know Lorne’s story is interesting. He’s a fascinating character who rarely does interviews or shows people into his life. I know the show is fascinating. I knew there were lots of interesting things, but I didn’t know how it would fit together. When we started shooting, what you see in the beginning of the film is my first day of shooting, where the cameras come out, and then Lorne vanishes. I felt like one of the themes of the film is basically the theme of me making the film. You go from somebody who really doesn’t seem like he wants a film made about him to somebody who has made his peace with it and is willing to give us a glimpse inside. That was my experience of making the film. So, the idea of bringing Chris Parnell in is a way of channeling ‘SNL’, but also the ‘TV Funhouse’. I mean, it’s also something that I’ve done with a lot of my films. I want the subject of the film to help me decide how to tell the story, so it feels like the telling of it is related to the subject. So, I just kept thinking, well, what is the ‘SNL’ version of a documentary about Lorne? Not to say that because it’s funny that there’s no substance there. Because one thing I’m also proud of is how the emotion sneaks into the film quietly, in a way you’re not expecting. Lorne, in the beginning, is like, “Why is this guy even here? Why is he torturing this poor crew?” But then you understand a lot more about what makes him tick and he opens in that way.

    MF: The movie is very funny. Can you set out to make a funny documentary, or is that a result of the subject you are focusing on?

    MN: I think humor is one of the great under discussed things in documentary film. I think some of my favorite documentaries are funny in different ways. That could be anything from the films that inspired me to make documentaries, like ‘Sherman’s March’, ‘Roger & Me’, and ‘The Atomic Cafe’. I mean, all the documentaries that got me excited, that are funny in different ways. Even in films I’ve made, like, ‘Best of Enemies’ or ‘Won’t you be my Neighbor?’ There are some big laughs in those films, too. But I think humor is such a great way of letting the audience exhale and open themselves up in a way if they’re laughing. They’re way more receptive to what you might want to share with them. So, I love that, and why can’t documentaries be comedies sometimes? So, this was me intentionally in the beginning saying, “I do want this to be a funny film.” Because it’s a film, most people who are going to watch it are comedy fans. I’ve seen a lot of documentaries about comedy that are really depressing. There are a lot of dark stories in comedy. But I always wanted to remember the comedy part of it, too. ‘Steve! (Martin) A Documentary in 2 Pieces’ was the first comedy documentary I did that was purely comedy, and this is the second. With both, I tried to balance the funny with some weight or gravitas at the same time.

    (L to R) Erik Kenward, Steve Higgins and Lorne Michaels in director Morgan Neville's documentary 'Lorne', a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features. © 2026 All rights reserved.
    (L to R) Erik Kenward, Steve Higgins and Lorne Michaels in director Morgan Neville’s documentary ‘Lorne’, a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features. © 2026 All rights reserved.

    MF: Can you talk about the unprecedented access that you had to Lorne and ‘Saturday Night Live’ and what did you learn about him as a person from your access?

    MN: I think people think of Lorne as sitting on a throne, deciding who makes it in comedy and who doesn’t make it, and that he is just sitting there, flipping his finger, and deciding the fate of people. I think Lorne sees himself as beleaguered, in the trenches, and worrying about next week’s show and making 100 phone calls to sponsors, network people, affiliates, agents, studios, and cast members to just keep all the plates in the air. So, it’s funny that everybody thinks Lorne is just sitting pretty. I think Lorne feels like he’s just barely making it, because I asked everybody in the film, “At what point do you think Saturday Night Live became a show that was not going to disappear?” Some people said, “Well, when the show reinvented itself after 1995 with Will Ferrell and that amazing cast, or maybe after 9/11, when it became a place where people came together and mourned and laughed together for the first time.” I asked Lorne that question, and he said, “Maybe this year.” You know, fifty years in! So, I think Lorne’s the last person to pat himself on the back and feel like, job well done, we don’t have to worry anymore. I think Lorne is thinking about, “When this cast gels, where’s it going to be in two years?” He’s thinking about things like that. “Oh, this writer I have who might want to leave, maybe I can get him to work on a TV show, and I can get him a development deal.” He’s constantly pulling levers to keep everything kind of bubbling along and that’s something, People don’t see him sweat, but I think he feels like he’s in the thick of it. I think it’s maybe part of why he made the film, is for people to understand that producing is a real job. It’s not just sitting back and collecting checks. It’s a lot of invisible things that people just don’t understand.

    MF: You mention in the film that the closest Lorne came to losing control of the show was in the mid- ‘90s, which culminated in the firing of Norm MacDonald. In discussing it with Lorne, did he express any regret in how that went down and being unable to protect Norm in the same way he has protected so many ‘SNL’ performers before and after?

    MN: I don’t think so. I love Norm’s comedy. But, let’s face it, Norm was asking for it and in the funniest way possible. Norm was warned again and again and again. So, I think Norm enjoyed poking the bear, and I don’t think Norm felt like Lorne was to blame for any of that. I think the other person in that equation was Jim Downey, the legendary writer who started in season two, and was on and off the show for decades, who I interviewed in the documentary. Jim, at that time, was running ‘Weekend Update’ with Norm, and the two of them were thick as thieves, and they were the ones who were enjoying poking the bear. When Norm got fired, Jim got fired too, but Lorne quietly got Jim back the next year. I think Lorne both felt a loyalty to Jim, and really wanted to protect Jim. Norm was going to be fine. Lorne told the bosses, “Okay, I’ll let them go,” and then quietly rehired Jim, and helped Norm land his next thing. Again, it’s something that made Lorne incredibly unhappy to have to go through, but he is the king of the long game. You may lose the battles, but he always wins the war.

    John Mulaney in 'John Mulaney: Baby J' Photo: Netflix.
    John Mulaney in ‘John Mulaney: Baby J’ Photo: Netflix.

    MF: Of all the interviews you conducted, who had the most insight into Lorne and was there anyone you wanted to interview but were unable to?

    MN: I mean, the only person I really wanted to interview who said no was Dan Aykroyd, and he had said he was just talked out from doing documentary interviews, which is fine. I get it. But at the same time, for a film like this, you could interview so many people, and I interviewed even more than I normally like to. I normally don’t like to interview a ton of people for a film because I want there to be a smaller chorus of voices. But even here, I could have interviewed another fifty people for this film easily. So, I wanted people from different chapters of his life, people like Howard Shore, who he met at camp as a 14-year-old to Rosie Shuster, his first wife he met in high school who became one of the original writers on ‘Saturday Night Live’. But one of my favorites was John Mulaney because he is both, such a great talker, but also a real student of Lorne’s. They’re friends, but I think John has studied Lorne, and I think when they’re together, John constantly peppers Lorne with questions, and he’s collecting as much information about Lorne as he can. So, I think he was ready to talk. I think he loved talking about Lorne. I think we did, like, a two-hour interview, and I said, “Well, I think that’s good,” and he was like, “Well, let’s keep going.” So we went for another hour, and then when we did the round table, he said, “Oh, I want to do that.” So, I got him together with Bill Hader, Andy Samberg, and Fred Armisen. But I think Mulaney was probably the MVP of talking about Lorne.

    MF: Finally, I get the sense from the film that Lorne Michaels is ‘Saturday Night Live’ and ‘Saturday Night Live’ is Lorne Michaels, and that there is no retiring for him. He’ll leave the show when he must and it may go on for a while, but that will be the end of the show as we currently know it. What is your sense of the future of the series and how long do you think it will go on without Lorne Michaels at the helm?

    MN: I think Lorne is not going to run the show for another fifty years, but he wants it to continue, and I think it will continue, just because, for no other reason, the IP of ‘SNL’ is very valuable, and people still watch and will continue to watch. It’s one of the last places where we come together to watch things. You know, it’s like sports and ‘Saturday Night Live’. There aren’t a lot of places where we all come together to watch things. So, I think there are a lot of reasons why it will continue. I just don’t think it’ll be the same, because, in part, Lorne’s not doing it, but also because I can’t imagine it continuing to be as wasteful as it is. I mean, Lorne says that in the film. It’s made wastefully, but that’s because by being wasteful, you get to discover more things. He’s producing way more than he needs for a week. So, if you’re able to throw out a third of all your work every week and just pick the best two thirds, it makes it better. But it’s also kind of crazy to know you’re going to throw out a third of all your work every week. I also don’t think there’s one person to fill Lorne’s shoes, which are impossible to fill. But I think the thing about Lorne is he’s managing two different ways. He’s managing down, which is him with the writers and the cast, and all of that, which he’s great at. You hear all those stories of how he works with cast members. But the other part of his job is he’s managing up. So, dealing with the network people, and the sponsors, and affiliates, and studios, and all of that, in a way that is invisible, and is a very different skill than dealing with writers. So, you know, part of me feels like it would take at least two people to do his job.

    Lorne Michaels stars in director Morgan Neville's documentary 'Lorne', a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features. © 2026 All Rights Reserved.
    Lorne Michaels stars in director Morgan Neville’s documentary ‘Lorne’, a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features. © 2026 All Rights Reserved.

    What is the story of ‘Lorne’?

    ‘Lorne’ is an unprecedented, behind-the-scenes glimpse at the man who built the inimitable empire of comedy, shaping television and culture for generations. The documentary features exclusive footage, archival treasures, and candid interviews with the show’s most iconic cast members and writers.

    Who appears in ‘Lorne’?

    'Lorne' opens in theaters on April 17th.
    ‘Lorne’ opens in theaters on April 17th.

    List of Morgan Neville Movies and TV Shows:

    Buy Tickets: ‘Lorne’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Morgan Neville Movies on Amazon

     

  • Movie Review: ‘Lorne’

    Lorne Michaels stars in director Morgan Neville's documentary 'Lorne', a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features. © 2026 All Rights Reserved.
    Lorne Michaels stars in director Morgan Neville’s documentary ‘Lorne’, a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features. © 2026 All Rights Reserved.

    Opening in theaters on April 17th is the new documentary ‘Lorne’, which was directed by Morgan Neville (‘Man on the Run’) and chronicles the life and career of ‘Saturday Night Live’ creator Lorne Michaels.

    bafIOFHvIKcKmC2z1KdQN1

    Related Article: Morgan Neville Talks Paul McCartney Documentary ‘Man on the Run’

    Initial Thoughts

    (L to R) Erik Kenward, Steve Higgins and Lorne Michaels in director Morgan Neville's documentary 'Lorne', a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features. © 2026 All rights reserved.
    (L to R) Erik Kenward, Steve Higgins and Lorne Michaels in director Morgan Neville’s documentary ‘Lorne’, a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features. © 2026 All rights reserved.

    Acclaimed documentary filmmaker Morgan Neville accomplishes the near impossible by capturing the illusive Lorne Michaels in the new film ‘Lorne’. The documentary, which is very funny, is almost an ‘SNL’ parody of celebrity biopics with pitch perfect narration from alum Chris Parnell and TV Funhouse style animation.

    Neville was given unprecedented behind the scenes access to Michaels and ‘Saturday Night Live’ and lifts the curtain to show how the sausage is really made. With interviews from ‘SNL’ alum like Tina Fey, John Mulaney, Kristen Wiig and Mike Myers, the movie explores Michaels’ career, the history of the show, and how ‘SNL’ is really made.

    Story and Direction

    'Saturday Night Live's Studio 8H.
    ‘Saturday Night Live’s Studio 8H. Photo: NBC.

    Director Morgan Neville is no stranger to documenting famous people, as his last film, ‘Man on the Run’ was centered on Paul McCartney. But the opening scene of ‘Lorne’ makes one think that Neville has finally met his match in Lorne Michaels. The ‘SNL’ creator seems surprised and annoyed that he even agreed to having a documentary crew follow him around, and virtually disappears once the movie begins.

    This forces Neville to pivot quickly and results in a movie that is closer to an ‘SNL’ parody of a documentary, which makes for a very funny movie. Some of the techniques that Neville uses to offset the loss of his subject include focusing on interviews with ‘SNL’ cast and alum instead and incorporating cartoons and narration. Those choices, whether out of desperation or not, transform the film from a standard celebrity documentary to a truly funny and entertaining experience on its own terms.

    But despite his best efforts, the film eventually does breakdown Michaels’ defenses and gives an honest and in-depth look behind the curtain at the man that created a comedic industry. In fact, Neville’s access to ‘Saturday Night Live’ was astounding and gives a rare never-before-seen look at exactly how the show is really made with glimpses into the writer’s room, pitch meetings, guest meetings, rehearsals, and finally choosing the sketches for that episode.

    Vzg349Az

    In addition to chronicling how the show is made week to week, the film also goes through Michaels’ personal history, the beginnings of his career, how he created the show, ‘SNL’s ups and downs including his exit in 1980, his return in 1985, almost losing the show in the 90s, and the various cast changes, as well as his film career, which includes writing ‘Three Amigos’ and producing ‘Wayne’s World’.

    Morgan Neville is the best documentarian working today and has made some of the finest documentaries in recent years including the Oscar winning ‘20 Feet from Stardom’, ‘Won’t You Be My Neighbor?’, and ‘Man on the Run’. But ‘Lorne’ might be his best work yet, cracking the code on one of the most important figures in entertainment history.

    Celebrity Interviews

    John Mulaney and Tina Fey at Netflix's Next on Netflix event. Photo: Netflix.
    John Mulaney and Tina Fey at Netflix’s Next on Netflix event. Photo: Netflix.

    While reluctant at first, Lorne Michaels does eventually sit down for several interviews and is surprisingly open, despite his reputation for being guarded. However, his insight into his past and the inner workings of the show are delivered cryptically and in a very Lorne Michaels way. But we do get a rare look at his lakeside hideaway retreat in an undisclosed area of Maine, as well as his rigorous late-night schedule.

    You really come to understand that Michaels is a creature of habit, basically living the same schedule for fifty years, even eating at the same handful of New York restaurants and ordering the same meals for decades. People often wonder why ‘SNL’ has such a strange schedule, working late into the night and into the early morning most days. It’s because of Lorne, that’s his schedule, the show just adopted it.

    Neville assembles a fantastic group of Lorne’s friends and former ‘SNL’ cast members including Steve Martin, Paul Simon, John Mulaney, Tina Fey, Conan O’Brien, Seth Meyers, Maya Rudolph, Kristen Wiig, Bill Hader, Chris Rock, Jimmy Fallon, and Mike Myers.

    John Mulaney had the most insight about Lorne, while Tina Fey acted like she didn’t really know him at all. But the most fascinating exchange was watching an intimate dinner between Michaels and friend Steve Martin.

    My one critique is I do wish Neville had interviewed more of the earlier cast members, as there seemed to be a focus on only cast members from the last 25 years. Where was Chevy Chase and Bill Murray? Where was Dana Carvey and Adam Sandler? What about Will Ferrell? But this may just be a result of who was available and not by design.

    Final Thoughts

    Lorne Michaels stars in director Morgan Neville's documentary 'Lorne', a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features. © 2026 All Rights Reserved.
    Lorne Michaels stars in director Morgan Neville’s documentary ‘Lorne’, a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features. © 2026 All Rights Reserved.

    ‘Lorne’ is a brilliant documentary that delivers a rare look at an almost mythic figure in popular culture and gives true insight without damaging the myth. At the same time, for fans of ‘Saturday Night Live’ or comedy in general, the movie is a must see that really dissects how the series became an institution and why it is still going strong after fifty years.

    ‘Lorne’ receives a score of 90 out of 100.

    'Lorne' opens in theaters on April 17th.
    ‘Lorne’ opens in theaters on April 17th.

    What is the story of ‘Lorne’?

    ‘Lorne’ is an unprecedented, behind-the-scenes glimpse at the man who built the inimitable empire of comedy, shaping television and culture for generations. The documentary features exclusive footage, archival treasures, and candid interviews with the show’s most iconic cast members and writers.

    Who appears in ‘Lorne’?

    • Lorne Michaels as Himself
    • Tina Fey as Herself
    • Maya Rudolph as Herself
    • John Mulaney as Himself
    • Andy Samberg as Himself
    • Bill Hader as Himself
    • Fred Armisen as Himself
    • Conan O’Brien as Himself
    • Chris Rock as Himself
    • Jimmy Fallon as Himself
    • Seth Meyers as Himself
    • Kristen Wiig as Herself
    • Mike Myers as Himself
    • Steve Martin as Himself
    • Paul Simon as Himself
    'Lorne' director Morgan Neville.
    ‘Lorne’ director Morgan Neville.

    List of Morgan Neville Movies and TV Shows:

    Buy Tickets: ‘Lorne’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Morgan Neville Movies on Amazon

     

  • Every ‘Saturday Night Live’ Movie Ranked

    'Saturday Night Live' celebrates its 50th anniversary. Photo: NBCUniversal.
    ‘Saturday Night Live’ celebrates its 50th anniversary. Photo: NBCUniversal.

    The groundbreaking variety series ‘Saturday Night Live‘ recently celebrated 50 years on the air.

    The iconic TV series has launched the careers of countless movie and TV stars over the years including Chevy Chase, Bill Murray, Eddie Murphy, Mike Myers, Will Ferrell, Adam Sandler, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Kristin Wiig, and Kate McKinnon.

    The series has also spawned several popular movies based on sketches and characters from the show including ‘The Blues Brothers‘, ‘Wayne’s World‘ and ‘MacGruber‘.

    In honor of ‘SNL’s 50th anniversary season, Moviefone is counting down and ranking every ‘Saturday Night Live’ movie ever made.

    For this list, we are only including movies based on sketches or characters that originated on ‘SNL’, so we will not be including ‘Tommy Boy‘, ‘Black Sheep‘, or any of Adam Sandler’s early films. We will also not be including director Jason Reitman‘s recent biopic ‘Saturday Night‘.

    Let’s begin!

    11. ‘It’s Pat‘ (1994)

    Julia Sweeney in 'It's Pat'. Photo: Touchstone Pictures.
    Julia Sweeney in ‘It’s Pat’. Photo: Touchstone Pictures.

    Pat Riley (Julia Sweeney), an obnoxious busybody of indeterminable sex, meets and falls in love with Chris, a sensitive, caring person also of indeterminable sex. Their relationship suffers because Pat’s a lout, and cannot decide on a direction for their life. Meanwhile, Pat’s neighbor Kyle falls further and further into obsession with Pat, fascinated by their indeterminate sexuality.

    1081

    10. ‘Stuart Saves His Family‘ (1995)

    Al Franken in 'Stuart Saves His Family'. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
    Al Franken in ‘Stuart Saves His Family’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.

    A self-help advocate (Al Franken) struggles to put his dysfunctional family in its place.

    1301

    9. ‘Blues Brothers 2000‘ (1998)

    (L to R) Dan Aykroyd and John Goodman in 'Blues Brothers 2000'. Photo: Universal Pictures.
    (L to R) Dan Aykroyd and John Goodman in ‘Blues Brothers 2000’. Photo: Universal Pictures.

    Finally released from prison, Elwood Blues (Dan Aykroyd) is once again enlisted by Sister Mary Stigmata in her latest crusade to raise funds for a children’s hospital. Hitting the road to re-unite the band and win the big prize at the New Orleans Battle of the Bands, Elwood is pursued cross-country by the cops.

    1039064

    8. ‘The Ladies Man‘ (2000)

    Tim Meadows in 'The Ladies Man'. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
    Tim Meadows in ‘The Ladies Man’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.

    Because of his salacious language, late-night radio advice-show host Leon Phelps (Tim Meadows), along with his sweet and loyal producer Julie (Karyn Parsons), is fired from his Chicago gig. Leon gets a letter from a former lover promising a life of wealth, but he doesn’t know who she is. Can Leon find his secret sugar-mama? What about Julie?

    7984

    7. ‘A Night at the Roxbury‘ (1998)

    (L to R) Chris Kattan and Will Ferrell in 'A Night at the Roxbury'. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
    (L to R) Chris Kattan and Will Ferrell in ‘A Night at the Roxbury’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.

    Despite being well into adulthood, brothers Doug (Chris Kattan) and Steve Butabi (Will Ferrell) still live at home and work in the flower shop owned by their dad. They exist only to hit on women at discos, though they’re routinely unsuccessful until a chance run-in with Richard Grieco gets them inside the swank Roxbury club. Mistaken for high rollers, they meet their dream women, Vivica (Gigi Rice) and Cambi (Elisa Donovan), and resolve to open a club of their own.

    4052

    6. ‘Superstar‘ (1999)

    Molly Shannon in 'Superstar'. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
    Molly Shannon in ‘Superstar’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.

    Orphan Mary Katherine Gallagher (Molly Shannon), an ugly duckling at St. Monica High School, has a dream: to be kissed soulfully. She decides she can realize this dream if she becomes a superstar, so her prayers, her fantasies and her conversations with her only friend focus on achieving super-stardom.

    4237

    5. ‘Coneheads‘ (1993)

    (L to R) Dan Aykroyd and Jane Curtin in 'Coneheads'. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
    (L to R) Dan Aykroyd and Jane Curtin in ‘Coneheads’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.

    A pair of aliens arrive on Earth to prepare for invasion, but crash instead. With enormous cone-shaped heads, robotlike walks and an appetite for toilet paper, aliens Beldar (Dan Aykroyd) and Prymatt (Jane Curtain) don’t exactly blend in with the population of Paramus, N.J. But for some reason, everyone believes them when they say they’re from France.

    8239

    4. ‘Wayne’s World 2‘ (1993)

    (L to R) Mike Myers and Dana Carvey in 'Wayne's World 2'. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
    (L to R) Mike Myers and Dana Carvey in ‘Wayne’s World 2’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.

    A message from Jim Morrison in a dream prompts cable access TV stars Wayne (Mike Myers) and Garth (Dana Carvey) to put on a rock concert, “Waynestock,” with Aerosmith as headliners. But amid the preparations, Wayne frets that a record producer (Christopher Walken) is putting the moves on his girlfriend, Cassandra (Tia Carrere), while Garth handles the advances of mega-babe Honey Hornee (Kim Basinger).

    8713

    3. ‘MacGruber‘ (2021)

    Will Forte in 'MacGruber'. Photo: Universal Pictures.
    Will Forte in ‘MacGruber’. Photo: Universal Pictures.

    After rotting in prison for over a decade, America’s ultimate hero and uber patriot MacGruber (Will Forte) is finally released. His mission: to take down a mysterious villain from his past—Brigadier Commander Enos Queeth (Billy Zane). With the entire world in the crosshairs, MacGruber must reassemble his old team in order to defeat the forces of evil.

    jxXQ1UVblhPqemnbqs4Ek2

    2. ‘Wayne’s World‘ (1992)

    (L to R) Mike Myers and Dana Carvey in 'Wayne's World'. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
    (L to R) Mike Myers and Dana Carvey in ‘Wayne’s World’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.

    The adventures of two amiably aimless metal-head friends, Wayne (Mike Myers) and Garth (Dana Carvey). From Wayne’s basement, the pair broadcast a talk-show called “Wayne’s World” on local public access television. The show comes to the attention of a sleazy network executive who wants to produce a big-budget version of “Wayne’s World”—and he also wants Wayne’s girlfriend, a rock singer named Cassandra (Tia Carrere). Wayne and Garth have to battle the executive not only to save their show, but also Cassandra.

    5981 K0BnSBlh

    1. ‘The Blues Brothers‘ (1980)

    (L to R) Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi in 'The Blues Brothers'. Photo: Universal Pictures.
    (L to R) Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi in ‘The Blues Brothers’. Photo: Universal Pictures.

    Jake Blues (John Belushi), just released from prison, puts his old band back together to save the Catholic home where he and his brother Elwood (Dan Aykroyd) were raised.

    7015

  • Penelope Spheeris Talks ‘Wayne’s World’

    ‘Wayne’s World’ director Penelope Spheeris
    ‘Wayne’s World’ director Penelope Spheeris

    “We’re not worthy!”

    The groundbreaking 1992 comedy ‘Wayne’s World,’ which was based on the popular Saturday Night Live sketch and released a Limited-Edition Blu-ray Steelbook on February 1st, celebrates its 30th anniversary this month.

    Directed by Penelope Spheeris, the movie stars Mike Myers and Dana Carvey as their SNL characters Wayne Campbell and Garth Algar, respectively, and follows them and their friends as they produce a public-access cable show in Aurora, Illinois. The cast also includes Rob Lowe, Tia Carrere, Lara Flynn Boyle, Chris Farley, Ed O’Neill, Meat Loaf, and Alice Cooper.

    Spheeris began her career in the late 60’s producing and directing Richard Pryor’s unreleased film, ‘Uncle Tom’s Fairy Tales,’ before producing Albert Brooks’ ‘Real Life’ in 1979. In the 1980s, she directed the seminal rock ‘n roll documentaries ‘The Decline of Western Civilization’ and ‘The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years,’ and eventually 1998’s ‘The Decline of Western Civilization Part III.’ But it was ‘Wayne’s World’ that finally allowed the talented filmmaker to merge her passion for comedy and music into the same film.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with director Penelope Spheeris about the 30th anniversary of ‘Wayne’s World.’ She discussed how her previous work prepared her to direct the movie, working with Mike Myers and Dana Carvey, the iconic “Bohemian Rhapsody” scene, Alice Cooper’s special request, casting the late great Meat Loaf, and more.

    K0BnSBlh

    You can read the full interview below or watch a video of the interview above.

    Moviefone: As a filmmaker, what is it like for you to see that ‘Wayne’s World’ is still as beloved and relevant today as it was when it was first released 30 years ago?

    Penelope Spheeris: It’s actually kind of indescribable how it feels. I wish I had good words to describe how I feel that 30 years later people care about the movie and love the movie as much as they do. I feel really, really lucky for that. And really grateful that I was there at the right time, in the right place and with the right people. But honestly, I don’t like to wallow in the glory of anything, but it’s just astonishing that people still care about this movie.

    MF: You can you take us back 30 years and talk about how you became the director of ‘Wayne’s World?’

    PS: My agent sent me the script and said, “They’re looking for a director for this Saturday Night Live skit, and it’s over at Paramount”. I was like, “You mean I might be able to get my foot in the studio door? That would be cool.” So, I read the script and then I had to go to five different meetings. Then I had to meet with Mike, and then I had to jump through a hoop and balance a beach ball on my nose, and crawl on my belly like a reptile.

    I had to do all those things. A lot of times it was like, “Man, this is like a lot of cross examination to get the gig.” A couple of times I remember walking off the lot thinking, “You know what? I don’t care. I can’t handle this”. Then I kept going back and I’m sure glad I did.

    MF: Considering your history working with comedians like Richard Pryor and Albert Brooks, and your work directing the ‘Decline of Western Civilization’ documentaries, it seems like you were uniquely qualified to direct ‘Wayne’s World,’ because you already had experience with both comedy and rock ‘n roll.

    How did your past experience as a producer and documentary filmmaker prepare you to direct this movie?

    PS: Well, that’s a brilliant observation. Even I haven’t thought of that. Thank you. I was prepared comically, and I was prepared musically. I guess it’s just some cosmic coming together of the right things at the right time. I had no idea that I was going to be involved with a movie that has lasted this long and people love so much. None of us thought, “Oh, well, we’re going to make this big hip movie and get rich and famous. And everybody will be dressing up their babies like Wayne and Garth for 30 years.” None of us thought that.

    We just thought, “Geez, we could make this little movie, and maybe we’ll get it in a few theaters, and maybe I’ll get another gig in Hollywood.” So, I always tell people, young filmmakers, it’s like stop with the rich and famous already, just go do the work. That’s what we were doing back then.

    MF: Since they created the characters on television, I would imagine Mike Myers and Dana Carvey came to set knowing exactly who Wayne and Garth are, which is something that doesn’t always happen with actors when you are making a movie.

    What was that like for you directing them and getting the performances that you needed for the film?

    PS: It was a total luck out, and good pleasure. I’ll be honest with you, because as a director, if you have two leads coming in with characters that they don’t know, you got a big job cut out for you, and you got to know those characters yourself. Mike and Dana already knew them.

    So, I didn’t have to go crazy trying to say, “Stay in character, stay on track. That’s not what your character would say.” I didn’t have to do any of that, they knew exactly what they would do, and wear, and say. So that made it easier to be honest with you. I don’t look at it like, “Oh, I’m the director, you got to do what I say.” They knew, and I trusted them. I had to.

    (L to R) Mike Myers and Dana Carvey in 'Wayne's World.' ©2021 Paramount Pictures. All Right Reserved.
    (L to R) Mike Myers and Dana Carvey in ‘Wayne’s World.’ ©2021 Paramount Pictures. All Right Reserved.

    MF: The movie will forever be connected to the band Queen, and vice versa, because of the iconic “Bohemian Rhapsody” sequence. Can you talk about the process of shooting that scene?

    PS: Well, I mean, when we shot it, and we didn’t think, “Oh, people are going to be looking at this and loving it for so many decades.” We didn’t think that. I knew that it would be a good title sequence, because I had shot a similar scene in the movie I did called ‘Dudes,’ where Flea and John Cryer were banging their heads in a Volkswagen driving across the desert.

    So, I knew that that was a fun thing to be doing. But yeah, Mike had written “Bohemian Rhapsody” into the first draft. So, as much as people might want to give me credit for picking the song, I did not pick the song, it was Mike. I chose to shoot it the way I did, but he is the one that was smart enough to pick that song. What can I tell you, James Corden owes me a couple bucks!

    MF: Is it true that the studio fought you on the song choice and didn’t want you to use ‘Bohemian Rhapsody?”

    PS: No! Thank you for asking it because I’d like to set the record straight. The studio never challenged us on the use of the song. (Producer) Lorne Michaels never wanted to have Guns N’ Roses in the movie. I never wanted to have Guns N’ Roses in the movie, because they had just bailed out on me when I did the ‘The Metal Years.’

    So, I definitely wouldn’t want to license their song if they crapped out on me at the last minute when I did ‘The Metal Years’. So, this whole thing about somebody wanting to use Guns N’ Roses is not true. I just want to put that on the table, and they could fight me to the death on that one because I know.

    MF: But there was an issue with Alice Cooper only wanting to play a new song and not one of his classics in the movie, is that true?

    PS: That’s very smart of you, and here’s the thing. Having worked with bands forever, most of them don’t want to do their old music, they want to promote their new music. I understand that, because they want to be themselves, and they want to do their new material. I couldn’t argue with Alice, because there was no time to argue. It was like, “Okay, we got to shoot this scene at the amphitheater, it’s booked, and it costs a lot of money. So, let’s get the band over there and set up the stage, and do it”.

    I wasn’t in love with the song at the time. It’s a goofy title. But Alice is a prince, and we threw three pages of dialogue at him, on the day he came in. He didn’t even have a night to look at it. To this day even he says that he can’t believe he remembered all that dialogue. We had to write these signs, we had to write prompter signs. We had people writing on them, so he could remember the lines. But he did it, and he looked perfectly natural doing it.

    MF: Finally, you cast Meat Loaf in the movie, who unfortunately just passed. What are your memories of working with Meat Loaf?

    PS: It’s very tragic, of course, that Meat Loaf has gone, and very unexpected. He was way too young to go. He and I were very, very good friends during the 1980’s when we would party at the Rainbow Bar, The Roxy, and Whiskey a Go Go. I have very fond memories of hanging out with him. And if anybody doesn’t mind, I’ll take the credit for casting him in that sweet role.

    The ‘Wayne’s World’ Limited-Edition Blu-ray Steelbook was released on February 1st.

    5981
  • Leslie Jones Is Leaving ‘SNL,’ Kate McKinnon Confirmed to Return

    Leslie Jones Is Leaving ‘SNL,’ Kate McKinnon Confirmed to Return

    Collider

    Yesterday, “Saturday Night Live” revealed an exciting lineup for the beginning of its upcoming 45th season. But now, we have news that one of the show’s stars will not be there to participate in the fun.

    Multiple outlets have confirmed that Leslie Jones will be leaving “SNL,” after five years with the long-running sketch comedy series. According to Deadline, Jones made the decision to depart herself, opting out of her seven-year contract to focus on a number of upcoming film projects (including a role in the “Coming to America” sequel) and a new stand-up special for Netflix.

    The comedian earned two Supporting Actress Emmy nominations for her work on “SNL” (and is a current Emmy nominee for co-writing an original song for a digital short) which she joined in 2014 initially as a writer, before several buzzy appearances on Weekend Update bumped her up to cast member status. She went on to star in several films, including “The Angry Birds Movie 2,” “Top Five” with Chris Rock, and the 2016 “Ghostbusters” reboot, throughout her “SNL” tenure.

    Jones’s costar in that latter flick, Kate McKinnon, is also one of her “SNL” cast mates, and was also on the bubble to return for next season, thanks to her bustling film career. But thankfully, the two-time Emmy winner has officially signed on to come back for season 45, though Deadline says that it remains to be seen whether she will be a full-time cast member or only appear sporadically. (Our fingers are crossed for lots of McKinnon in the coming months.)

    According to The Hollywood Reporter, it’s not clear yet whether “SNL” will hire a replacement for Jones, though its cast is already quite large. The stars that will be returning this season are Beck Bennett, Aidy Bryant (whose future was uncertain after her Hulu series, “Shrill,” was renewed), Michael Che, Pete Davidson, Mikey Day, Colin Jost, McKinnon, Alex Moffat, Kyle Mooney, Cecily Strong, Kenan Thompson (who is seemingly always rumored to be leaving), and Melissa Villasenor; featured players Heidi Gardner, Ego Nwodim, and Chris Redd will also be back.

    Season 45 of “Saturday Night Live” premieres on NBC on September 28.

    [via: Deadline, The Hollywood Reporter]

  • ‘SNL’ Reveals Early Season 45 Lineup, Featuring Eddie Murphy, David Harbour, Taylor Swift

    ‘SNL’ Reveals Early Season 45 Lineup, Featuring Eddie Murphy, David Harbour, Taylor Swift

    NBC

    Season 45 of “Saturday Night Live” is starting with a bang, featuring a star-studded lineup of hosts and musical guests, led by the unexpected — and sure to be triumphant — return of one of the show’s most famous alums.

    On Monday, “SNL” revealed a partial lineup for the first half of the upcoming season, which will kick off on September 28 with Woody Harrelson hosting, alongside musical guest Billie Eilish.

    That duo will be followed by “Bond 25” screenwriter (and Emmy-nominated “Fleabag” star) Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Taylor Swift on October 5; David Harbour and Camila Cabello on October 12; and Kristen Stewart (musical guest TBA) on November 2.

    But it’s the final emcee of 2019 that had fans buzzing those most on Monday: None other than Eddie Murphy is set to headline the December 21 episode, marking his first time hosting in more than 35 years. No musical guest has been announced yet.

    Murphy shot to superstardom on “SNL,” where he was a cast member from 1980 until 1984. The comedian is credited with revitalizing the series during that time period, and remains one of the show’s most beloved former stars.

    But since his departure from the series, Murphy has been almost entirely absent from Studio 8H, returning only for a brief, awkward appearance at the SNL 40 celebration in 2015. He was also slated to pop up in a sketch that evening, but ultimately bailed; if Murphy keeps his date with “SNL” in December, the episode will mark his first time actually performing on the show in more than three decades.

    Our fingers are crossed for an epic evening. We can’t wait for season 45 to start.

  • ‘SNL’ Star Colin Jost Joins Live-Action ‘Tom and Jerry’

    ‘SNL’ Star Colin Jost Joins Live-Action ‘Tom and Jerry’

    NBC

    The latest live-action reboot of a familiar animated property, classic cartoon “Tom and Jerry,” is shoring up its cast, with a TV star joining the ensemble.

    Colin Jost — who’s known to “Saturday Night Live” fans as one of the show’s longtime co-head writers and the co-host of its Weekend Update segment (and known to “Avengers” fans as Scarlett Johansson’s finance) — has signed on for the big screen version of “Tom and Jerry.” Deadline first reported the news, though there are no details yet about what role the comedian will be playing, and whether it will be a live-action character, or animated like the titular cat and mouse.

    Jost joins the previously-cast Chloe Grace Moretz and Michael Pena. The flick follows Kayla (Moretz), a new hire at a posh hotel, who enlists the help of Tom the cat to get rid of Jerry the mouse. She eventually ends up banding together with both critters, however, against her bully of a manager, Terrance (Pena).

    Tim Story (“Ride Along,” “Fantastic Four,” “Think Like a Man,” “Shaft“) is directing and executive producing the feature. No word yet on a potential release date, but “Tom and Jerry” is expected to start shooting sometime later this year.

    [via: Deadline]

  • Chris Kattan Reveals He Broke His Neck — And Didn’t Know It — in 2001 ‘SNL’ Skit

    Chris Kattan Reveals He Broke His Neck — And Didn’t Know It — in 2001 ‘SNL’ Skit

    Variety

    In his new biography, Chris Kattan, the former “SNL” regular best known for “Night at the Roxbury” and his flamboyant character Mango, reveals that his chronic neck pain was actually a far more severe injury.

    Kattan first talked about his old neck injury while appearing on “Dancing With the Stars” in 2017, but it wasn’t until now that he explained that it happened during a 2001 “SNL” episode.

    The actor, who’s now 48, talked to Variety ahead of the bio’s release: “Baby Don’t Hurt Me: Stories and Scars from Saturday Night Live,” which is  is out May 7.

    Kattan dates the injury to a 2001 parody sketch about a group of kids who role play as the “Golden Girls.” He says he hit his head hard after falling backwards in a chair, sustaining an injury he now believes was a broken neck.

    (We’re no expert on neck injuries, but a bit of Googling turned up this guy, who didn’t know he had a broken neck for six months.)

    He says, despite severe pain, he only got it checked out a year later on his chiropractor’s advice. By then, he says, it was too late for workers’ compensation.

    In the book, Kattan complains that he still suffers the after-effects from the injury: “Even today, I still can’t open my hand wide enough to use my fingers normally on the keyboard. The impact that my injury and subsequent surgeries had on my career was immense, but more importantly, the fallout proved to be devastating to some of the closest relationships in my life.”

    Lorne Michaels declined Variety’s request to be interviewed and a spokesperson for NBC said the network had no record of any claim. No one else Variety spoke to could remember the incident.

    The comedian left “SNL” in 2003 after a seven-year run. Since then, he’s appeared on “The Middle,” “How I Met Your Mother,” and “Sharknado 5” and done voice work for “Bunnicula” and “Hotel Transylvania 2.”

    In the book, Kattan details five surgeries, a failed marriage, drug and painkiller addictions, and missed career opportunities. He says he still face limitations due to his neck injury.

    “As a physical comedian, I had always been worried about waking up with a whole different body one day,” he wrote. “That fear became my reality. After those forty-five seconds on the ‘SNL’ stage in May of 2001, my body would never, ever be the same.”

    [Via Variety]

  • Mike Myers to Star in Netflix Comedy Series as Multiple Characters

    Mike Myers to Star in Netflix Comedy Series as Multiple Characters

    ABC

    Mike Myers is returning to television — though, this time, it’s streaming television.

    The “Saturday Night Live” alum has signed on for his very first narrative TV series ever. He’ll start and executive a six-episode comedy series for Netflix.

    Myers will play multiple characters, much as he’s done in his “Austin Powers” movies. Not much else is known about the story or plot.

    “I love creating characters, and Netflix has given me a fantastic playground to play in,” Myers said in a statement.

    Myers was an “SNL” cast member from 1989 to 1995 and went on to a movie career. He most recently appeared in “Bohemian Rhapsody” as Ray Foster.

  • Every Movie Based on an ‘SNL’ Sketch, Ranked

    Every Movie Based on an ‘SNL’ Sketch, Ranked