Friends: The Reunion (2021)

Friends: The Reunion (2021) is the highly anticipated 2021 special of the beloved American sitcom. Hosted by James Corden, it was created by Marta Kauffman and David Crane, along with executive producers Kevin S. Bright and Ben Winston. Originally announced in November 2019, Warner Bros. Television was in the process of developing the special for their new streaming service, HBO Max. The special would bring back the entire cast and some familiar co-stars. In February 2020, a reunion with the original cast and creators was officially commissioned, with Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer all on board. Directed by Ben Winston through Fulwell 73, it was produced by Kevin S. Bright, Marta Kauffman and David Crane. Warner Bros. Unscripted & Alternative Television (now known as Warner Horizon Unscripted Television) also played a role in bringing this long-awaited reunion to life.

The highly anticipated special was shot at Stage 24, also known as “The Friends Stage,” located at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, California. This iconic stage had been home to the filming of Friends since its second season. In April 2021, filming for the long-awaited reunion finally began. However, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, it had to be postponed twice – first in March 2020 and then again in August 2020. James Corden served as the host of the trivia game and talk show segments of the special, which were filmed in front of a live audience primarily made up of union extras who underwent COVID screening before being hired for the gig. Representatives for Perry were quick to clarify that his appearance on set was affected by an emergency dental procedure he had prior to filming, putting viewers’ concerns to rest.