The documentary from Academy Award–winning filmmaker Morgan Neville 

will be released in theaters on April 17, 2026

Focus Features will release LORNE, the first-ever, behind-the-scenes look into the life of Lorne Michaels, the legendary creator and reluctant icon behind Saturday Night Live. While SNL is one of the most examined and celebrated shows in television history, the man who built and sustained the institution for nearly five decades has largely remained out of view. From Academy Award-winning filmmaker Morgan Neville, LORNE reframes a cultural story audiences think they know, offering unprecedented access to the quiet force who shaped American comedy. The film will be released in theaters in the U.S. on April 17, 2026. Focus has worldwide rights on the film and Universal Pictures International will handle international distribution for the studio.

From Morgan Neville, Academy Award-winning filmmaker of 20 FEET FROM STARDOM and WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR, comes LORNE, 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 including Tina Fey, Maya Rudolph, John Mulaney, Andy Samberg, Conan O’Brien, Chris Rock and many more.

Director: Morgan Neville

Producers: Morgan Neville, p.g.a., via A Tremolo Production; Lauren Belfer, p.g.a.

LORNE reunites Focus and Neville for a fourth time having previously partnered on, PIECE BY PIECE, ROADRUNNER: A FILM ABOUT ANTHONY BOURDAIN, and WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR? which earned a number of awards including Best Documentary at the 2019 Independent Spirit Awards.