Friends' delayed reunion special won't be available when HBO Max launches in May

The Hollywood Reporter

The WarnerMedia streaming service plans to launch next month without its most-anticipated offering. The HBO Max Friends reunion special was originally supposed to tape March 23 and 24, but filming was pushed back to May due to the coronavirus crisis. It's unclear when it will be taped. "We want to share some background information about the production dates for the upcoming unscripted Friends reunion special for HBO Max," HBO Max said in a statement Friday. "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!"