More details are emerging about SNL 1975, Jason Reitman’s upcoming Saturday Night Live biopic, and it seems Succession star Nicholas Braun will be tackling two comedy legends at once.
Film site World of Reel reports that SNL 1975 has held three test screenings in recent weeks, shedding some more light on the film—including exactly who Braun is playing.
Deadline reported back in March that Braun was cast as Muppets creator Jim Henson in the movie. However, photos soon emerged of Braun filming a scene outside 30 Rockefeller Plaza dressed as performance artist Andy Kaufman, causing some confusion about which character he was really playing.
Here's Gabriel Labelle as Lorne Michaels and Nicholas Braun as Andy Kaufman, filming a scene from the upcoming @nbcsnl movie 'SNL 75.' Judging from the record player Braun is carrying, they are recreating Kaufman's "Mighty Mouse" sketch from the show's 10/11/75 debut episode. pic.twitter.com/TjVjBcngKQ
— UltimateClassicRock (@UltClassicRock) March 12, 2024
Apparently the answer is both. “Nicholas Braun is also a scene stealer as both Andy Kaufman and Jim Henson,” a source who attended an SNL 1975 test screening told World of Reel.
Henson was involved in SNL’s first season by way of “The Land of Gorch,” a recurring sketch featuring Muppet characters he created and performed for the program. Kaufman famously did a bit in the SNL premiere in which he (barely) lip-synced to a recording of the Mighty Mouse theme song.
According to LateNighter contributor Jeff Sneider, Benny Safdie was originally set to portray Kaufman in the film, but had to pull out due to a scheduling conflict.
SNL 1975 is a behind-the-scenes account of the first-ever episode of Saturday Night Live that occurs in real-time. Reitman co-wrote the script with Gil Kenan.
Beyond Braun, other notable names appearing in SNL 1975 include Finn Wolfhard, Kaia Gerber, Willem Dafoe, and Jon Batiste (who also scores the film).
That’s in addition to the main cast: Gabriel LaBelle as Lorne Michaels, Cooper Hoffman as Dick Ebersol, Rachel Sennott as Rosie Schuster, Ella Hunt as Gilda Radner, Emily Fairn as Laraine Newman, Kim Matula as Jane Curtin, Dylan O’Brien as Dan Aykroyd, Cory Michael Smith as Chevy Chase, Matt Wood as John Belushi, and Lamorne Morris as Garrett Morris.
Morris, who has spent most of this week guest hosting Jimmy Kimmel Live!, recently sang the movie’s praises, telling Deadline that the film will “blow your mind.”
It seems he’s not the only one who thinks so. World of Reel writes that “reactions to SNL 1975 have been very strong,” with its source from the screening reporting a “big response from [the] audience.”
The source added that the movie is “shot on gorgeous 16mm, incredibly gritty and reminiscent of the period,” and cited LaBelle’s performance as Michaels as a particular highlight.
Though an official premiere date for the movie has yet to be announced, World of Reel is reporting that Sony is planning an October 2024 release.
