How do you tell the story of a comedian whose craft rested as much on silence as on words? Directed by Judd Apatow, Norm: The Tale of Norm Macdonald arrives on Netflix on October 16, 2026.
The documentary traces the career of Norm Macdonald, the Canadian comedian who became one of North America’s most distinctive voices in comedy. It revisits his years on Saturday Night Live, where he anchored the Weekend Update segment, and examines the influence of his deadpan, unpredictable humor.
The film is built entirely from archival footage, personal photographs, and rare family videos shared by his loved ones and fans. This approach lets Norm Macdonald tell his story in his own voice, without reenactments or an external narrator.
He passed away in 2021 after concealing for years the illness he battled. Yet the documentary doesn’t stop there: it seeks to unpack the contradictions of an artist who shunned easy explanations and often let his jokes unsettle the audience.
Judd Apatow is producing the film alongside Amanda Rohlke and Ross M. Dinerstein. The project is part of Netflix’s run of documentary titles spotlighting major figures in comedy, alongside films about Martin Mull, Maria Bamford, and the SCTV crew.
To discover the rest of this month's new releases, check out our guide to Netflix October releases, our guide to streaming releases across all platforms, and the day’s selection What to watch today on streaming.
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