Is ‘SNL’ Movie’s Early Release a Sign of Producers’ Confidence?

Columbia Pictures, producers of Saturday Night – the movie that explores the minutes leading up to Saturday Night Live’s first-ever broadcast in 1975 – has announced the feature will begin rolling out two weeks ahead of its original schedule.

It had been set to arrive everywhere on Oct. 11, but will now land in New York, Los Angeles and Toronto on Sept. 27, followed by a limited release farther afield on Oct. 4 and wide release on Oct. 11.

The news follows a series of positive reviews, with reports that test screenings also went better than might have been expected.

READ MORE: Meet the Cast of the Upcoming ‘Saturday Night Live’ Movie

Variety’s review said director Jason Reitman “isn’t the first to take audiences behind the scenes of SNL and its ilk – 30 Rock, Studio 60 and The Larry Sanders Show all demystified that world — but he does it so convincingly,” adding that the movie “seems destined to be the way we remember the night that changed television.” Variety also described it as a potential Oscar-winner, “thanks to its superb ensemble, sizzling script and expert craftsmanship.”

World of Reel shared comments from a contact who’d attended a test screening, who said: “Fantastic. Big response from audience…[I]t’s also hard to fully pinpoint a bonafide standout within the ensemble because it’s all over the place with the way it’s constantly moving and bouncing around to different characters (not a bad thing though, I thought it kept things fresh and avoided lingering/losing momentum).”

Rolling Stone called the production “extremely potent,” noting that while it was sometimes a “sloppy and overly reverent tribute,” it was also a “part hilarious 1970s gross-out romp, and an all-out assault to recreate the adrenaline rush of producing that inaugural SNL.”

Which Viewers Will Most Enjoy ‘Saturday Night’?

And while the Hollywood Reporter’s review tended towards the negative, it appeared more critical of the premise rather than the performances, arguing: “We go into the movie with high expectations, but only some of them are realized. … Those who remember the excitement of SNL‘s early years will want to catch up with this revolutionary moment in TV history, but younger viewers may not find enough here to tickle or tantalize.”

The cast includes Gabriel LaBelle as Lorne Michaels, Dylan O’Brien as Dan Aykroyd, Cory Michael Smith as Chevy Chase, Rachel Sennott as Rosie Shuster and Lamorne Morris as Garrett Morris. The soundtrack was composed by Grammy-winner Jon Batiste, who plays the show’s first musical guest, Billy Preston.

Watch a Trailer for ‘Saturday Night’