Last year, in news that was devastating to Friends reruns fans in the United States, it was announced that the popular sitcom would not be available for streaming on Netflix from 1 January, 2020. Instead, the show would move to HBO’s new streaming service, HBO Max, Insider reported, which meant conning someone into letting you use their subscription AGAIN.
“Bro, tell na. What’s your Max password?”
Over a month since Netflix lost the rights to host the generation-defining 90s sitcom, all six cast members of Friends took to Instagram to break the news of reunion special on HBO Max on 22 February. This is perhaps HBO Max’s masterstroke, a foolproof plan to ensure the success of its new streaming platform. (Though who would’ve thought a sitcom we’ve all seen 800 crore times across the world would still work as anyone’s wild card?)
Aap chronology samajhiye.
Whatever the reason, we’re FINALLY getting that long overdue (and hotly anticipated) reboot, and here’s everything you need to know ahead of its release this May:
- There’s no information about the content of the as-yet untitled and unscripted special but, according to Paper, the chances of an entire season seem slim.
- “Guess you could call this the one where they all got back together—we are reuniting with David, Jennifer, Courtney, Matt, Lisa, and Matthew for an HBO Max special that will be programmed alongside the entire ‘Friends‘ library,” said Kevin Reilly, chief content officer at HBO Max and president of TBS, TNT, and truTV, in a statement.
- It will presumably release on the occasion of the anniversary of the series finale; Friends ran from 22 September 1994 to 6 May 2004.
- Courtney Cox, Matthew Perry, Jennifer Aniston, Matt LeBlanc, David Schwimmer, and Lisa Kudrow will each reportedly receive at least $2.5 million for being a part of the special. That’s about Rs 18 crores apiece.
- According to Variety, the cast will return to the original Friends soundstage, ‘Stage 24’, at the Warner Bros. Studio lot in Burbank.
- The entire Friends library, as well as the special, will be available for streaming on HBO Max.
- Ben Winston is going to direct the special.
- Along with Friends executive producers, Marta Kauffman, Kevin Bright, and David Crane, the entire original cast will also executive produce the special together with Emma Conway and James Longman.
While you wait for the special, here’s a clip of the entire cast (sans Chandler) discussing their favourite episodes with James Burrow, from 2016.
As news of the reboot broke, celebrities all over the world reacted—Charlie Puth commented “Crying” and Mindy Kaling demanded further deets—but Kate Hudson’s response emerged a clear winner. She commented on Aniston’s post, “I feel like the whole world just had a collective orgasm!💃🙌”
Kate can we be Friends?
Even though Matt LeBlanc totally shared the wrong reunion photo.
Which celeb reaction is your reaction?
Us? We’re just over here, still wondering whether Ross and Rachel were on a break or not. While we now know the answer to “When is Friends coming back?”, it is accompanied by the realisation that some questions may never be answered. Ever.
Sigh.
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