The highly anticipated Friends reunion special will no longer launch with the upcoming HBO Max streaming service. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the service is sticking with its May launch window. As was reported last month, the production of the special is delayed indefinitely due to the coronavirus. HBO originally planned to film the special on March 23rd-24th. But much like many other projects in the entertainment world, that plan had to be put on hold. In an official statement, HBO had this to say:
We want to share some background information about the production dates for the upcoming unscripted Friends reunion special for HBO Max. As was previously reported, production is delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This means that the special will not be available on the streamer on Day 1 of launch. But it is coming! The cast and producers are all very excited to go into production, as this will be the first time since the show ended that the whole cast will be together, and on the original sets to reminisce. There are loads of great surprises in store and lots of rare behind-the-scenes footage they are eager to share. We will keep you informed as plans solidify and once we have a firm premiere date.
Lastly, in order to avoid any misunderstanding about what this special is, we want to make it very clear that this is not a new, original episode of the series. The cast will be appearing as themselves, not as their beloved characters. And though fans will have to wait a bit longer for the reunion, they can watch all 236 episodes of the series on day one of HBO Max launch in May!”
News of the Friends reunion special made big waves when it was first announced. The original series ran from 1994-2004 and is still one of the most beloved sitcoms of all time. The special will reunite all six castmates as well as creators David Crane and Marta Kauffman. HBO Max will still be the only place fans can stream all 10 seasons. They’ll just have to wait a little bit longer to see these friends reunite.
