HBO Max to release ‘Friends’ reunion special with celebrity guests this May

After much anticipation, the world’s most famous American television sitcom is finally set to be released later this month. 

The long-awaited Friends reunion special hits HBO Max on May 27, announced the streaming service on Thursday (May 13). 

Friends: The Reunion is an hour-long unscripted event where the main cast members reunite, revisiting the set and sharing behind-the-scenes footage. This means the main cast will appear as themselves, rather than portraying their characters.

The special arrives 17 years after the show ended its final season, airing on NBC for a decade from 1994 to 2004. It will feature more than 15 celebrity guests including famous pop star Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga, and K-pop band BTS. 

Other guest stars that will make their appearances on the reunion special include footballer David Beckham, talk show host James Corden and actress Reese Witherspoon. 

Of course, the Friends reunion special will not be the same without its iconic main cast. The special features six of its original cast members including Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry, and David Schwimmer as they return to the Friends’ original soundstage, Stage 24, at the Warner Bro. Studio. 

From the second season of Friends, all episodes of the sitcom were filmed on Stage 24, making the lot a special place for the cast members to reunite.

HBO Max has also released the official teaser for Friends: The Reunion, where cast members can be seen walking arm in arm.

The show was initially set to film in February 2020 but had been repeatedly delayed due to the production shutdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, filming could only begin in April last year.

Friends: The Reunion will be available for streaming on HBO Max on May 27.