by Thinus Ferreira
HBO has released an instantly-emotional, first official teaser for the TV special event, Friends: The Reunion - or as the show calls it "the one where the one where they get back together".
HBO also announced that Friends: The Reunion will become available on Thursday 27 May on its HBO Max video streaming service.
Although WarnerMedia has not launched HBO Max in South Africa or anywhere else in the sub-Saharan Africa market, chances are that the TV special will end up on M-Net (DStv 101) that had the pay-TV rights for the comedy series throughout its run and with M-Net and MultiChoice that has an existing output deal for HBO content with Warner.
In the Friends: The Reunion official teaser, the older cast of David Schwimmer, Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow, Matthew Perry, Courteney Cox and Matt LeBlanc can be seen filmed from the back, walking, at dusk, away from the camera while the Friends theme song plays.
According to the HBO press release, they return to "the iconic comedy's original soundstage, Stage 24, on the Warner Bros. Studio lot in Burbank for a real-life unscripted celebration of the beloved show".
The Friends: The Reunion video trailer is a clever play on one of the iconic Friends publicity images that was released while the show was in production showing the 6 friends, from the front, walking on the studio lot in formal wear.
The TV special will include several guest appearances, including BTS, Cara Delevingne, Cindy Crawford, David Beckham, Elliot Gould, James Corden, Justin Bieber, Kit Harrington, Lady Gaga, Larry Hankin, Mindy Kaling, Thomas Lennon, Christina Pickles, Tom Selleck, James Michael Tyler who played Gunther on the show, Maggie Wheeler, Reese Witherspoon and Malala Yousafzai.
The special is directed by Ben Winston and executive produced by the original Friends creators Kevin Bright, Marta Kauffman and David Crane.
