Just hours after Matthew Perry got Instagram, officially bringing all six core Friends cast members into the 21st century, the Friends reunion planets have seemingly aligned.
Deadline (aka one of the most reputable entertainment sites) reports that the much anticipated Friends HBO Max reunion special is v. v. v. close to inking a deal, with the entire cast set to return.
Following “tough negotiations”, the publication reports stars Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer, Matt LeBlanc and Perry have reached an agreement with series’ producer Warner Bros. TV to create an hourlong special.
You know it’s legit ‘coz apparently they’ve spent a whopping $20 million on talent and the six actors are famous for hustling major deals.
Negotiations reportedly came to a standstill at the end of last year, with the stars and Warner Bros. TV on very different pages, money-wise.
The stalemate lasted several weeks, prompting HBO Max’s Chief Creative Officer Kevin Reilly to release the following statement:
“There is interest all around and yet we can’t get the interests all alighted to push the button on it. Today it’s just maybe.”
Negotiations resumed shortly after and, miraculously, both parties were able to come to an agreement.
Earlier this week, Perry tweeted that an announcement was coming soon, which punters thought was a nod to his joining Insta, but it could very well be the Friends news as well.
Big news coming…
— matthew perry (@MatthewPerry) February 5, 2020
The special, in which co-creators/executive producers Marta Kauffman and David Crane are expected to have some involvement, is designed to help launch Friends reruns on HBO Max.
During a Friends 25th anniversary panel at Tribeca TV Festival in September, creators Marta Kauffman and David Crane shut rumours of a potential reboot or scripted reunion that would revisit the characters and stories from the hit series.
“We will not be doing a reunion show, we will not be doing a reboot,” Kauffman said. “The show was about that time in life when friends are your family.”
And as for a reboot, her answer was hell to the no. “It’s not going to beat what we did,” Kauffman said.
Added Crane, “We did the show we wanted to do. We got it right, and we put a bow on it.”
Regardless, it’s happening fam. IT’S HAPPENING.
