We’ve reported onthe rumors. We’ve reported on whateach cast member could make. And now… it’s official. AFriendsunscripted reunion special is coming to HBO Max, with each cast member –Jennifer Aniston,Courteney Cox,Lisa Kudrow,Matt LeBlanc,Matthew Perry, andDavid Schwimmer– returning. And it’s coming to the nascent streaming service May 2020, alongside every other originalFriendsepisode.
In the special, the stars will return to their iconic stage 24 on the Warner Bros. studio lot in Burbank, California, and reminisce about their time making all 236 episodes of the beloved series. As Kevin Reilly, chief content officer of HBO Max, put it:
Guess you could call this the one where they all got back together — we are reuniting with David, Jennifer, Courteney, Matt, Lisa, and Matthew for an HBO Max special that will be programmed alongside the entire Friends library. I became aware of Friends when it was in the very early stages of development and then had the opportunity to work on the series many years later and have delighted in seeing it catch on with viewers generation after generation. It taps into an era when friends – and audiences – gathered together in real time and we think this reunion special will capture that spirit, uniting original and new fans.
The special is executive produced by all six cast members, alongside originalFriendsexecutive producersKevin Bright,Marta Kauffman, andDavid Crane.Ben Winston(The Late Late Show with James Corden) will direct and produce the special, andEmma Conway(The Kacey Musgraves Christmas Show) andJames Longman(Never Mind the Buzzcocks) are co-executive producers. While you may be disappointed that this reunion doesn’t include newFriendsepisodes with the cast performing in character, I find it to be a perfect return to a charming, calm world without any risk of ruining the show’s legacy with poor quality episodes.
Check out the as-of-yet-untitledFriendsreunion special on HBO Max in May 2020. For more on the series, here’s a delightful mashup with the show andThe Witcher. Plus:all the seasons ranked.
