'F.R.I.E.N.D.S' reunion likely to film by the end of summer
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The F.R.I.E.N.D.S reunion special, which had been delayed indefinitely due to the coronavirus outbreak, is now expected to be completed by the end of this summer and arrive to your digital screens by year-end, reports Variety. The highly-anticipated special episode, featuring the six beloved "friends", was originally planned to arrive on WarnerMedia's upcoming streaming service, HBO Max, on its launch day, i.e., May 27.
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Firstly, what is 'F.R.I.E.N.D.S' all about?
F.R.I.E.N.D.S, that originally aired on NBC between 1994 and 2004, focused on the lives of six friends: Monica Geller (Courtney Cox), Phoebe Buffay (Lisa Kudrow), Rachel Green (Jennifer Aniston), Chandler Bing (Matthew Perry), Joey Tribbiani (Matt LeBlanc), and Ross Geller (David Schwimmer). The New Yorkers struggled with the ups and downs of their mediocre jobs and faulty relationships, but stayed together through it all.
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The possibility of virtually filming the episode put on hold
Bob Greenblatt, WarnerMedia Entertainment and Direct-to-Consumer Chairman, said, "We're holding out for being able to get this special done hopefully by the end of the summer, if the stars align and hopefully we can get back into production." He added that while there was a possibility of doing the special on web call with stars filming from home, it was, however, put on hold.
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'There's a value to having live audience for this comeback'
Greenblatt said, "We do think there is a value to having a big, raucous live audience to experience these six great friends coming back together and we didn't want to just suddenly do it on a web call with, you know, six squares and people shooting from their kitchens and bedrooms." But he also clarified that nothing is cemented as of now.
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If situation doesn't improve, the reunion could go virtual
He noted that if the coronavirus-induced lockdowns continue, then the reunion may actually go virtual. "But at the moment, we're trying to look to the future and get this thing done in a more conventional way...If we can get it launched in the fall, I think it'll be something that we can have the audience really looking forward to as well," he summed up.
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The special was earlier supposed to film in March
The special episode was earlier supposed to be filmed in late March, when the coronavirus crisis halted productions all across the globe. Meanwhile, the cast of F.R.I.E.N.D.S recently announced a contest, under which a lucky winner, along with five of their friends, will get to attend the reunion shooting. The contest is part of All In Challenge, aimed at feeding needy during COVID-19 pandemic.