SALT LAKE CITY — “Friends” will officially leave Netflix beginning in 2020.
What happened: Netflix announced via Twitter on Tuesday that the hit NBC show “Friends” will be switching to WarnerMedia’s new streaming service in the beginning of 2020.
- “We’re sorry to see Friends go to Warner's streaming service at the beginning of 2020 (in The US). Thanks for the memories, gang,” Netflix wrote on Twitter.
- “Friends” will join HBO Max, the official streaming service for WarnerMedia.
Expected cost: Warner paid somewhere between $80 to $100 million for the rights to air the hit show on its streaming service, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
HBO Max: The new WarnerMedia streaming service will include all of The CW’s content, as well as new original films, according to The Hollywood Reporter. It will also be home to “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” “Pretty Little Liars” and others.
- “HBO Max will bring together the diverse riches of WarnerMedia to create programming and user experiences not seen before in a streaming platform. HBO’s world-class programming leads the way, the quality of which will be the guiding principle for our new array of Max Originals, our exciting acquisitions, and the very best of the Warner Bros. libraries, starting with the phenomenon that is ‘Friends,’” said Robert Greenblatt, chairman of WarnerMedia Entertainment and direct-to-consumer, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
- “Under the leadership of two of the strongest creative visionaries — Casey Bloys (HBO) and Kevin Reilly (original content and acquisitions) — and two of the most experienced digital experts — Tony Goncalves and Andy Forssell — I have no doubt they and their dedicated teams will deliver the world’s best storytelling to audiences of all ages wherever and whenever they want it,” Greenblatt said.
Flashback: Back in June, Netflix announced that the streaming service will drop “The Office” as well beginning in 2021, which I wrote about for the Deseret News.
- NBC will stream ”The Office” on its service beginning in 2021.