HBO Max closing on a deal to pay the Friends cast big bucks for an unscripted reunion special

Deadline

The long-awaited reunion special is expected to help launch the HBO Max streaming service, which shelled out $425 million for the streaming rights to Friends. Deadline reports each of the six Friends stars "will be paid in the $3 million-$4 million range for appearing in the special." However, The Wall Street Journal reports each Friends star is getting between $2.25 million and $2.5 million for the special after initially balking at an offer to pay $1 million each. On Tuesday, Matthew Perry tweeted "Big news coming..." But that could've been hinting Lisa Kudrow's announcement earlier Thursday that Perry has become the sixth and final Friends star to join Instagram. Or Perry could be joining Instagram in advance of the Friends reunion special. According to Deadline's Nellie Andreeva, "the total spent on talent in the special, said to be about $20 million, is in line with what Netflix has been shelling out for top comedians to headline hourlong specials, including Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock, Ellen DeGeneres and Amy Schumer." Andreeva adds that Friends co-creators Marta Kauffman and David Crane are expected to be involved in the special.