'Friends' Reunion Special Postpones Filming Due to Coronavirus Outbreak
They’ll still be there for you… but maybe a little later than we thought.
Filming of the Friends reunion special, originally slated to debut this May on HBO Max, has been delayed due to the global coronavirus pandemic, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The special — which will reunite Friends stars Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer for an unscripted look back at the hit NBC sitcom — was set to film next week on the series’ original soundstage, Stage 24, on the Warner Bros. Studio lot in Burbank, California.
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But in light of the coronavirus outbreak, with more than 8,000 cases confirmed in the U.S. at press time, filming has been pushed back until at least May. There’s still a chance the special could be ready in time for the May launch of HBO Max — WarnerMedia’s new streaming service, which will be the streaming home for all 10 seasons of Friends — but it’s impossible to know now whether filming will be cleared to resume at that point.
The Friends reunion special joins the mounting list of more than 100 TV shows that have stopped production due to the global coronavirus pandemic. (For a look at which TV shows have already wrapped production on their current seasons, and which ones face the prospect of a shortened season, check out TVLine’s comprehensive list of all the major shows affected.)
Launch Gallery: Coronavirus Interrupts TV: Which Seasons Will Be Shortened?
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