Here's When You Can Stream Friends Again

It's been well over a decade since Friends finished--and more than 25 years since the show premiered--but the classic sitcom remains a big part of pop culture. Until the end of last year, younger audiences who missed Friends the first time around had been able to watch it on Netflix. It was removed at the start of the year but will shortly have a new streaming home--HBO Max.

WarnerMedia's new streaming platform launches on May 27, and all 10 seasons of Friends will be one of its flagship titles. There aren't many series over a quarter of a century old that could be a big part of a new streaming service's launch day, but most shows aren't Friends. It was a big deal when it was announced last year that the series was leaving Netflix, particularly as the streaming giant had reportedly paid $100 million just to keep the show on its platform for an extra year when its licensing deal initially ran out at the end of of 2018. According to analysts, Friends was one of the most streamed series on Netflix.

However, there's one Friends-related show that won't be available on HBO Max's launch day, and that's the much-anticipated reunion special. The show is set to bring stars Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matthew Perry, Matt LeBlanc, and David Schwimmer back together. However, the COVID-19 pandemic led to production on the special to be delayed.

Other popular shows that will available on HBO Max include Big Bang Theory and South Park, along with movies such as Studio Ghibli's classic anime films, DC hits like Joker and Wonder Woman, and The Matrix movies. There's also a variety of original series, such as the comedy Love Life, starring Anna Kendrick, and the ballroom dance competition Legendary.

HBO Max will cost $15 per month. This price includes a wide variety of library content from other WarnerMedia-owned brands. These include DC Entertainment, CNN, TNT, TBS, truTV, The CW, Turner Classic Movies, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Crunchyroll, Rooster Teeth, and Looney Tunes. Existing subscribers to HBO Now will get access to HBO Max at launch for no extra cost, while subscribers to HBO via AT&T's TV services will also be upgraded automatically.