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The one-off special was due to have been filmed
next week on the original sound stage in Burbank, California,
according to the source, and broadcast in May on the upcoming
HBO Max streaming service.
But movie and TV production in Hollywood has come to a halt in
the past week due to restrictions brought in to contain the
spread of the coronavirus in the United States. No new date has
been set for filming the special.
HBO Max declined to comment.
The long-awaited unscripted show, featuring all six "Friends"
stars Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt
LeBlanc, Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer, was to have been a
big draw for the planned HBO Max streaming service.
The hit comedy series ended in 2004 but found a new lease of
life on Netflix where it was the second most-watched show in
2018.
HBO Max last year secured the rights to all 10 seasons of
"Friends" for its streaming service and the comedy series is no
longer available on Netflix.
The source on Wednesday said that HBO MAX still intended to
launch as planned in May. An exact date has still to be
announced.
The "Friends" delay follows the suspension of filming of all
Netflix, Disney and Universal Pictures live action movies,
including "Mission: Impossible 7" and "The Matrix 4", as well as
television shows ranging from "Saturday Night Live" to "The
Amazing Race."
(Reporting by Aishwarya Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju
Samuel and Sonya Hepinstall)
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