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It’s the end of an era, Friends fans: the hit sitcom will officially be leaving Netflix in 2020. We know you’ve heard it before, but this time, it’s for real. According to a new report from the Wall Street Journal‘s Joe Flint, Friends will be migrating over to WarnerMedia’s new HBO Max streaming service, which is set to launch in spring 2020. As part of the deal, HBO Max is paying $425 million over the next five years to become the exclusive streaming home for Friends, a Warner Bros.-owned series.
According to Flint, WarnerMedia’s long-awaited streaming service is now known as HBO Max, an entity that will house dozens of original shows — including projects in development from Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Anna Kendrick, and more top talent — Warner Bros. movies, and HBO-specific properties. Despite hopes to get the service up and running before the end of the year, HBO Max will launch in spring 2020, when it will face tough competition from Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, as well as new streaming platforms from Disney and NBCUniversal. The WSJ reports that a price for the Warner service has not yet been set, but it is likely to be more than the $14.99/month HBO Now, as it will feature additional content beyond HBO’s library.
While its name suggests that the service will be anchored by HBO content, WarnerMedia hopes that Friends and other company titles will attract viewers. Beginning in 2020, HBO Max will be the exclusive home of Friends on streaming, a deal that will cost the fledgling service (with some help from parent company AT&T) $425 million over five years. The major acquisition comes after Netflix paid Warner approximately $80 million to keep Friends on its service through 2019; according to the WSJ, “The pact gave WarnerMedia the option to take the show off Netflix in 2020 or share it.” Clearly, the powers that be chose to keep Friends for themselves.
In addition to the Friends of it all, HBO Max has plans to replace Netflix elsewhere. Flint reports that HBO Max will exclusively stream future Warner Bros. shows produced for The CW, including Batwoman and Riverdale spinoff Katy Keene. Shows that air on The CW during the 2019-2020 season are expected to air on the streaming service in fall 2020, a representative Warner Bros. told Decider. Currently-airing series like Riverdale and Arrowverse shows are expected to remain on Netflix for a few more years (The CW has a streaming deal with Netflix), and then eventually move to HBO Max.
As if that weren’t enough, HBO Max will feature hundreds of Warner titles, including Pretty Little Liars, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Crazy Rich Asians, and more. For a sneak peek at the new streaming service’s offerings, check out the video above.
For more on WarnerMedia’s forthcoming HBO Max service, read Joe Flint’s report in the Wall Street Journal.
