When it comes to some of the most famous Saturday Night Live alumni, there are several names that often pop up, such as the talented Eddie Murphy, or Adam Sandler, or even Bill Hader. But one who has most recently become an alumnus of the famous primetime sketch comedy show is someone who has been a part of it for ten years, and that is Kate McKinnon.
From her hilarious impressions to her iconic sketches, Kate McKinnon had become a staple of Saturday Night Live, but now, after a decade of hilarity, she has retired from the cast, alongside three other cast members. But, just because she is leaving Saturday Night Live doesn’t mean that she’ll be gone from Hollywood for long. No, McKinnon is around for the long haul, and she has plenty of awesome projects coming up.
DC League Of Super Pets (July 29, 2022)
Kate McKinnon has been known for her impressions and impressive voice roles, so it’s no surprise that one of her first roles post-Saturday Night Live is going to be starring as Lulu, a big villain in DC’s League of Super Pets, according to Deadline.
This film already has tons of stars that are connected to it, such as the main two being Kevin Hart and Dwyane Johnson - a combination that has spawned some hilarious moments even when they're not in a movie together.
But, there are several other big stars that are joining McKinnon in this movie that you might recognize, such as Keanu Reeves (known for his roles in The Matrix and John Wick series), John Krasinski (who recently had a cameo in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness), Natasha Lyonne (who had Season 2 of Russian Doll recently release in April 2022) and many, many more.
It’s always exciting to see many of your favorite stars come together for a movie such as this one, but I’m eager to see what Kate McKinnon brings to the table in terms of voicing a villain, of all things. With her incredible impressions, I wouldn’t be surprised to see her rock this role, which will be coming to theaters on July 29, 2022.
Barbie (July 21, 2023)
Get ready, because it’s going to be a blonde Bombshell reunion when Kate McKinnon reunites with Margot Robbie in the movie Barbie (based on the iconic doll of the same name), according to The Hollywood Reporter.
This film has been making news for how many stars are going to be in it, and most recently, we’ve gotten a sneak peek into how the star, Margot Robbie, is going to look as the iconic live-action version of the figurine - which is, honestly, perfect. And who is going to be playing her Ken? Why, none other than Ryan Gosling himself.
But, it’s currently unknown who exactly McKinnon will be playing. It’s been announced that there will be other versions of both Barbie and Ken in Barbie, according to Collider, but McKinnon was not listed as one of them, instead throwing that claim to fame to Simu Liu (who's popularity recently blew up due to his starring role in the Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings cast), Issa Rae (Insecure), and more.
With this in mind, McKinnon doesn’t need to play another version of Barbie, if we’re being honest. There are so many characters in the Barbie Universe that I could see her playing anyone, and I’m sure that whatever they have in mind for her will be perfect. With a cast as star-studded as this, I have a feeling that this movie will be done to perfection. Barbie is set to come out on July 21, 2023.
The Lunch Witch (TBA)
Last but not least, let’s take a look at The Lunch Witch. This role for Kate McKinnon was announced by Deadline back in 2016, and she would star in the titular role for this film, which is based on the novel of the same name.
The book follows a witch who is forced to become a school lunch lady since no one believes in magic anymore, and while she enjoys scaring the kids, a little girl ends up changing her world for the better. The story is a very sweet children's tale, but the thing is - we have not heard a peep about this movie since it was announced back in 2016.
I know that 2016 doesn’t even sound that far away, but this news came out in December of that year, which is almost six years from now. And since there hasn’t additional news that has come out, I’d say to take this with a grain of salt. Even so, I could see McKinnon rocking this role, too, and if The Lunch Witch actually comes to fruition, I will gladly be in the theater to see it - or watch it from my couch if it comes to streaming.
Recent Kate McKinnon Projects
Over the last few years, Kate McKinnon has been very active within the movie and TV industry. While everyone may know her for her famous part in Saturday Night Live, McKinnon has been steadily showing just how much of a force she is to be reckoned with within Hollywood, starring in several films.
One of her biggest roles was playing Dr. Jillian Holtzman as part of the 2016 Ghostbusters reboot film, alongside fellow Saturday Night Live alumnus Kristen Wiig. Afterwards, she continued to expand her filmography, appearing in several movies that you might recognize her from, such as the comedy Office Christmas Party, the funny animated comedy, Ferdinand, the spy comedy The Spy Who Dumped Me, and more.
Most recently, one of her big roles stepped more into drama territory, where she played Jess Carr in the Bombshell cast, alongside actresses such as Margot Robbie and Charlize Theron. And, in 2022, she had a starring role in The Bubble cast on Netflix, another fun Judd Apatow movie, so McKinnon has been keeping herself busy.
She’s also been doing plenty on TV, where she took on the role of Ms. Fizzle in the reboot of The Magic School Bus, called The Magic School Bus Rides Again, and most recently, she played Carole Baskin in the Peacock original series, Joe vs. Carole - that’s right, the scripted show that is also based off of the true story told in Tiger King.
While we will always remember Kate McKinnon for the hilarious things she would do on Saturday Night Live to make us laugh, there’s no denying that she had so much talent and will only continue to grow as an amazing comedian and actress over the next few years. And I, for one, will be there every step of the way.
