HBO Max’s planned unscripted “Friends” reunion special featuring the main cast of the hit sitcom has been delayed once again due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The special was originally supposed to film back in March with a live audience, plans that were scuttled when the pandemic shut down productions across the entertainment industry.
WarnerMedia exec Bob Greenblatt then said in May that the company was hopeful the special would shoot by the end of the summer with August being targeted. Now that’s no longer the case and filming dates are still to be determined.
Part of it is the special by its nature requires filming on the original Stage 24 soundstage in Burbank with a live audience as opposed to just doing “a web call with six squares and people filming from kitchens and bedrooms”.
WarnerMedia reportedly paid over $400 million for the SVOD rights to the series which previously was one of the most-watched shows on Netflix. The show’s six stars were reportedly all getting between $3-4 million each to be part of the retrospective reunion.
Source: Variety
