The Tale Of Norm’ Preps For Release on Netflix

Picture Credit: Getty Images

It looks like Judd Apatow’s highly anticipated documentary on the late, legendary comedian Norm Macdonald is inching closer to our screens. We now have an official title and an MPA rating for the upcoming Netflix feature.

As recently listed by the Motion Picture Association (MPA), the upcoming documentary feature is officially titled Norm: The Tale Of Norm Macdonald. Unsurprisingly, given Macdonald’s famously unfiltered comedic style, the film has been handed an R rating for “language and sexual references”.

An MPA rating is typically a strong indicator that a project is in the final stages of post-production, suggesting Netflix could be eyeing a near-future release date.

Judd Apatow at the Helm

Comedy heavyweight Judd Apatow (The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up) is directing and producing the project himself. While Apatow is widely known for his blockbuster comedy features, he has increasingly pivoted toward acclaimed documentary filmmaking over the last decade, becoming the go-to chronicler of comedy legends.

His previous tribute and documentary credits include:

• The Zen Diaries of Garry Shandling (2018)
• George Carlin’s American Dream (2022)
• Bob and Don: A Love Story (2023)
• An upcoming two-part documentary on Mel Brooks.

A Crowdsourced Effort

Earlier in 2025, Apatow took to Instagram to ask the public for their help in piecing together the definitive look at the former Saturday Night Live Weekend Update anchor’s life.

“We need your photos and videos of Norm Macdonald for a documentary we are creating for Netflix,” Apatow wrote to fans. “If you just know about any interviews or interesting videos you think we may not have heard about or be able to find ourselves— that would also be very helpful. Or just tell us your favorite Norm moments.”

Norm’s Legacy on Netflix

Macdonald, who tragically passed away from leukemia in 2021, already has a deeply poignant history with Netflix. His final project, Norm Macdonald: Nothing Special, was released posthumously on the streamer.

Self-shot in a single take in his living room, the 50-minute special featured previously unreleased material and was followed by a roundtable discussion with comedy peers reflecting on his incredible legacy. It served as a moving final farewell, earning universal acclaim (including a 100% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes) and three Primetime Emmy Award nominations.

That’s in addition to his prior projects for the streamer, including the 2017 special Hitler’s Dog, Gossip & Trickery, and the short-lived panel show in 2018 called Norm Macdonald Has a Show. 

In 2022, the comic was honored at a Netflix Is a Joke event in Los Angeles, California, that attracted comedy legends like Conan O’Brien, Adam Sandler, Bill Murray, Kevin Nealon, and Judd Apatow.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MAY 03: (L-R) Judd Apatow and Kevin Nealon attend “Norm Macdonald: Nothing Special” during Netflix Is A Joke at The Fonda Theatre on May 03, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images for Netflix)

We’ll update this post once we get first looks and, of course, a release date.