Saturday Night’s Director And Writer Would Love To Do Sequels In Different SNL Eras [Exclusive]

With such a rich history on television following the show’s premiere, there are endless possibilities for a “Saturday Night” follow-up. Perhaps the most interesting, as far as drama and behind-the-scenes details, would be what is known as “the Dick Ebersol years” from 1980 to 1985. While this era of “SNL” would bring us Eddie Murphy and Joe Piscopo, the rest of the cast never gained any traction with audiences, and producer Dick Ebersol didn’t bring the same sharp satire to the series that Lorne Michaels had previously.

It was a tumultuous five years, and telling a story that begins with the original cast leaving the series along with Michaels, only for the showrunner to return and save it, could be a fascinating showbiz story. It wouldn’t have to reuse the same near-real time framework, but it could still weave in and out of the halls of the 30 Rockefeller Center as the drama unfolds.

Another possibility could be the ’90s era, where “SNL” saw beloved cast members Chris Farley (who is soon getting his own biopic) and Adam Sandler fired from the show. Also spanning multiple years, a movie about this era could also chronicle the tragic death of Farley at the end of 1997, which came not long before Norm Macdonald was famously fired in early 1998, midway through the 23rd season. It would provide a great opportunity for a young ensemble cast to bring to life another fantastic array of famous faces from the show, including the likes of Phil Hartman, Mike Myers, Dana Carvey, Julia Sweeney, Tim Meadows, and more. For his part, Gil Kenan certainly has an affinity for “SNL” of the ’90s:

“This is an age dependent matrix, I think, but I’m definitely the Chris Farley years. So basically, Dana Carvey, Mike Meyers, Chris Farley, and then extending out. I still watch every week. So I feel like that was just, for me, the beginning of the flood. The waters have not receded.”

For more from my interviews with Jason Reitman, Gil Kenan, and some of the cast members of “Saturday Night,” check out the latest episode of /Film Daily right here:

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