After five decades shaping American comedy from behind the curtain, Lorne Michaels is getting a spotlight. Focus Features has dropped the first trailer for the feature-length documentary Lorne, chronicling the life and career of the Saturday Night Live mastermind. (Watch below.)
The doc, which will arrive in theaters on April 17, was directed by Oscar winner Morgan Neville and promises an intimate look at Michaels’ life and career. SNL, which marked its 50th anniversary with a star-studded celebration last year, is the most Emmy-awarded program in television history, amassing 113 statuettes over the past half-century.
Here’s everything to know about the upcoming film.
Bowen Yang, Lorne Michaels, and Kate McKinnon at the 74th Primetime Emmy AwardsGilbert Flores/Variety
THE PLOT
According to the studio, “the film offers an unprecedented, behind-the-scenes glimpse at the man who built an inimitable comedy empire — shaping television and culture for generations.”
WHO’S IN THE FILM
The documentary features exclusive footage and candid interviews with some of the show’s most iconic cast members and writers, including Tina Fey, Jimmy Fallon, Maya Rudolph, John Mulaney, Andy Samberg, Conan O’Brien, and Chris Rock.
WHO’S BEHIND THE CAMERA?
The project reunites Focus Features with Neville for their fourth collaboration. Neville won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature for 20 Feet From Stardom and directed the acclaimed hits Won’t You Be My Neighbor? and Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain.
He recently directed Man on the Run, chronicling Paul McCartney’s post-Beatles creative surge, and earned Emmy recognition for his work on SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night.
WHEN CAN I WATCH IT?
The documentary will be released exclusively in theaters on April 17.
This story was originally published on Feb. 13; updated on March 5 with the trailer