The creators of Friends have spoken about calls for a reboot (Picture: NBCUniversal via Getty Images)
The creators of Friends have broken their silence on whether they intend to reboot the sitcom ahead of its 30th anniversary.
Running for a decade from 1994 until 2004, the series starred Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matthew Perry Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer as six friends living in New York City.
This year marks three decades since it first hit screens, with the brains behind the show recently giving a wide-ranging interview about its significance years after it ended.
Kevin Bright, Martha Kauffman and executive producer David Crain all spoke to Today and revealed that a reboot had been discussed after Friends picked up a new generation of fans after it was released on Netflix in recent years.
Co-creator Kevin shared that he regularly had pre-teens coming up to him and saying how much they love the show, as well as asking: ‘Will there be more episodes?’.
Starting to speak about being tempted by the idea of a reboot, Marta then jumped in and said there had been suggestions of one, mainly being pushed by younger fans.
The sitcom starred Courteney Cox as Monica Geller, Matthew Perry as Chandler Bing, Jennifer Aniston as Rachel Green, David Schwimmer as Ross Geller, Matt LeBlanc as Joey Tribbiani and Lisa Kudrow as Phoebe Buffay (Picture: Jon Ragel/ NBCUniversal via Getty Images)
‘We get that a lot. I get emails about it all the time. And everybody has a great idea. And the great idea is their kids grown up doing a Friends show,’ she revealed.
Nearly all of the six main characters had become parents by the time the show ended in 2004, making the idea of a reboot with their grown-up children a possibility.
Ross had a son with ex-wife Carole and a daughter Emma with Rachel, while Phoebe had her brother’s triplets, while Monica and Chandler adopted.
Pondering the idea, David remarked: ‘I would imagine it’s kind of what it must feel like when your kid turns 30 and you’re like, “How did that happen?”
David Craine, Marta Kauffman and Kevin Bright all said it was unlikely the show would return to screens (Picture: Today)
However, he then seemed to shut down the idea going any further, adding: ‘Oh, no, no, no, no.’
Earlier this year Warner Bros. TV Group chairman Channing Dungey said there needed to be a ‘reason’ for the reviving a show.
However, the cast did reunite for a reunion special that aired on HBO Max in 2021.
During the interview, the trio also spoke about the death of Matthew Perry, who died last year aged 54 from what a medical examiner concluded was the acute effects of ketamine.
The cast did however reunite for a one-off TV special in 2021 (Picture: Terence Patrick/ CBS via Getty Images)
‘He’d been fighting the good fight for so long, and it really did feel like, from the reunion, that he had finally found some peace,’ Kevin said.
Meanwhile Marta added: ‘It’s a huge loss, and it does make the 30th a little fraught.’
Two years ago, Lisa said she supported the idea of a reboot, but made it clear she didn’t want to take part.
When asked on the red carpet at the Better Nate Than Ever premiere in 2022, the Phoebe Buffay actress expressed her feelings on the idea.
Matthew Perry died aged 54 in 2023 (Picture: AP)
Initially, she shut it down, gasping and saying: ‘I don’t think there’s gonna be a Friends reboot.’
‘I mean, not with any of us in it, but a reboot, you mean like, they hire other actors?’ she continued.
After the interviewer clarified that a reboot could mean a whole revamp of the cast, Lisa intrigued by the concept.
‘I would love to see what the now version of that would be,’ she said with a smile.
Friends is streaming on Netflix.
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