‘Friends’ Will Start Streaming Again Soon: Release Date Revealed

“Friends” is coming back to streaming next month. All 10 seasons of NBC’s hit sitcom left Netflix at the end of last year, but it won't return to the streaming giant. Instead, Warner Bros. will put the series on their new streaming platform, HBO Max, and the service finally has a launch date.

WarnerMedia announced Tuesday that HBO Max will launch on Wednesday, May 27. “Friends” will be available for streaming on day one.

Along with “Friends,” HBOMax will offer a streaming library with 10,000 hours of content. That includes sitcoms like "The Big Bang Theory" and "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" as well as dramas, such as “Batwoman,” “Doctor Who,” “The O.C.,” “Pretty Little Liars” and “Nancy Drew.” Other offerings include “The Boondocks,” “The Bachelor,” “Sesame Street,” “Katy Keene,” “Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown” and “Rick and Morty.”

Eventually, a “Friends” reunion will be available on HBO Max. However, it has been delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic. The special was supposedly going to film in March on Stage 24 at the Warner Bros. lot, the same place the TV show filmed. However, social distancing guidelines have shut down most productions in Tinsel Town, including the highly-anticipated “Friends” reunion.

The beloved show is worth quite a bit of money. It is reported that the six stars (Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matthew Perry, Matt LeBlanc, David Schwimmer) will earn anywhere from $2.5 million to $3 million for the unscripted special.

WarnerMedia paid a hefty fee for “Friends” streaming rights. They had to outbid Netflix, which resulted in a deal where they paid $425 million ($85 million a year for five years) to stream the series, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

HBO Now and AT&T subscribers will be able to get access to HBO Max at now extra cost. Others can subscribe for $14.99 per month.