hardercore

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz...ockbuster.html

Friends reunited: Jennifer Aniston and the gang set to return for big-screen blockbuster

By Mark Coleman
Last updated at 10:51 AM on 02nd July 2008

The highly anticipated film production of TV series Friends has finally been given the go-ahead, MailOnline has learned.

Cast members Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Matthew Perry, Matt LeBlanc, Lisa Kudrow and David Schwimmer will reprise their roles for a big-screen adaptation 'within the next 18 months', according to insiders.

The actors have been inspired by the recent success of Sex And The City, which recently hit cinemas worldwide.

A source said: 'Jennifer, Courteney and the rest of the cast are keen to reprise their roles, under the right circumstances.

'The box office success of Sex And The City has really got their wheels spinning about how a Friends film could be just as big, if done right.

'Timing and the script are really important, but now that Courteney and Jen both have production companies, they can potentially get very involved in those decisions.'

Talk of a reunion for the loveable gang from New York's Central Perk has been bandied around Hollywood ever since the show aired its final season in 2004.

While Cox, 44, LeBlanc, 40, Perry, 39, Kudrow, 45 and Schwimmer, 41, were believed to be keen on the reunion, Aniston, 39, is believed to have dragged her heels.

Now, however, she is keen to move ahead with the project, which will be produced by Warner Bros.

The source added: 'As the biggest star of the Friends franchise, Jennifer can't help but look at what's happened with Sarah Jessica Parker and the Sex And The City film and be a little jealous.

'What's held back a Friends movie so far is that people were worried that Jennifer had simply become too famous to play Rachel again.

'But the truth is that Jennifer is finally willing to do it, and she'd love to work with that whole team of actors and producers again.

'She says she and Courteney have already talked this summer about what they want out of a Friends movie, and if deals can be made with them, everything else can fall into place rather quickly.

'It really comes down to money, and I don't think Jen has a problem with all of the Friends getting huge paydays for the movie.

'In that sense, it's Sex And The City all over again. There's no movie unless you can reunite the whole cast and keep them all happy financially.'

The Sex And The City film, which had series star Sarah Jessica Parker as a producer, is headed for a global box office total of well over $300million.

That number exceeds all pre-release expectations and insiders say US studio Warner Bros is now mining its recent library of TV hits for other projects ready for the movie treatment.

The source told MailOnline: 'Friends is at the top of the list of properties that can do the same level of business Sex And The City did.'

Since going their separate ways, the actors have stayed in the entertainment sphere, with varying success.

Aniston, who depicted lead character Rachel, has starred in a series of romantic comedies but her professional endeavours have been overshadowed by romantic upheaval.

Following her divorce from Brad Pitt in 2005, she endured a reportedly volatile relationship with actor Vince Vaughn before recently embarking on a romance with musician John Mayer.

Courteney Cox, who depicted neurotic Monica, enjoyed relative success with her TV show Dirt, where she played a ruthless tabloid media mogul.

Lisa Kudrow, who co-starred as ditzy folk singer Phoebe, continues to work in film - but mostly lower profile independent ones.

Matt Le Blanc has laid low in Hollywood since the failure of his Friends spin-off series Joey, passing on TV and film roles to focus on his home life.

David Schwimmer, aka Ross, now seems most comfortable playing the role of movie director. He recently directed hit comedy Run Fatboy Run.

PopcornTreeCt

If that's true..... then holy awesome!

hardercore

Waiting to hear more details about the director & writers (hopefully the 3 exec producers from the series will reunite to script it), but I definitely have some initial interest, purely as a fan of the series.

The Bus

Great news for LeBlanc and Kudrow!

jeffkjoe

Although I'm a big fan,

I don't think it's a good idea.

FRIENDS as a movie will be an entirely DIFFERENT BEAST.

No studio audience, no canned laughter - I'm not saying that's not a bad thing, it'll just be....DIFFERENT.

FRIENDS ended on a high note. Why risk that?

Goat3001

The plot of the movie will, of course, revolve around Ross and Rachel's wedding. That means it will likely be more like the last few seasons of the show which were (IMO) not nearly as good as seasons 1-4/5. Either way I've always been a fan of the show and will absolutely see it. But I'll just wait for the DVD.

Daytripper

This movie will never happen. There's a difference between a sitcom show and a show like "Sex & the City". Sure, everyone involved are probably foaming at the mouths of "SATC"'s success. But it's a completely different dynamic. Even if they manage to bring "Friends" t to the big screen, it will not be the same. And will fail miserably. Mark my words

mhg83

The only way I'd go see this movie is if there's a lesbian encounter between Rachel, Monica, and Phoebe

PopcornTreeCt

I remember they talked about if they did a movie they would use a profanity and explore sexual situations in more detail. Hmm...

RichC2

Oddly, I think this would work and sell extremely well.

That said, I'd see a Fraiser movie because I'm that nerdy.

CKMorpheus

I'll be first in line!

majorjoe23

That would be hot... thirteen years ago.

Palaver

Meh. While I was a big fan of the show, I really felt that it overstayed its welcome. It should have really ended a season or two before it did and I was really glad when it gone.

I feel that the finale gave us good closure and I really don't have a desire to see where the characters are now.

JPRaup

Ahhh this show. I can't watch more than a couple episodes without wanting to crush my skull with a brick. It's great in small doses, I don't know if I could take a movie.

Goldberg74

Only if it's shot is a "four camera" style.

I always hated when they would make special episodes of a sitcom out in the real world. It just started to look fake (if that makes sense).

Charlie Goose

I'll believe it when I see it, but I would watch.

As long as it's not about a madcap rush to a wedding, or getting mixed up with foreign spies.

GuessWho

Family Ties in London
Facts of Life in Paris
Friends in London
Brady Bunch in some amusement park in Cincinatti

Patman

Will Gunther be in it? How about Marcel?

Doughboy

This a terrible idea. Don't get me wrong. It'll make money. But a 3-camera sitcom with a live studio audience spun off into a bigscreen motion picture? This has disaster written all over it.

Plus(and I hate to be shallow and superficial), the cast is getting a little long in the tooth and saggy in other areas to be playing these characters.

Shannon Nutt

Will it work? Probably not. Will it make a ton of money? Fer sure.

Isn't Joey still in LA?

Goldberg74

My guess is that he moved back to NYC and lives in Chandler's basement out in the suburbs.

DRG

I agree with the concensus that it would be very difficult to strike the right tone for this. The pacing of the jokes would be completely thrown off.

Charlie Goose

Tell me you knew off the top of your head that it was in Cincinatti and you'll be my hero.

BJacks

Unsourced report in a British tabloid = fail.

The same article rolls out every year. I do admit that Sex and the City's success is a new factor, but I don't believe any of this.

orderandlaw

"Highly anticipated"? I haven't heard anyone ever say they'd like to see a Friends film.