'The Fresh Prince' Reunion Trailer Released By HBO Max, 'Friends' Reunion Special Films Soon
HBO Max has managed to land not one, but two reunion specials of beloved '90s sitcoms. The streamer has really cornered the market on TV nostalgia, and today we've got a one-two punch of updates on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air reunion and the long-awaited Friends reunion special. HBO Max has released The Fresh Prince reunion trailer, which shows Will Smith reuniting with the Banks family on the set of the old family living room. The trailer is full of laughs and fond memories, and will keep our nostalgia banks full until the Friends reunion finally begins filming in 2021, as star Matthew Perry has confirmed.
The Fresh Prince Reunion Trailer
If you thought you were jaded to the '90s nostalgia craze, watch a beaming Will Smith step out of a cab in the Fresh Prince reunion trailer and your heart may melt a little bit. Smith dropped the trailer for The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Reunion, revealing that the special will debut on HBO Max on November 19, 2020. In the unscripted special, Smith is joined by series regulars Tatyana Ali, Karyn Parsons, Joseph Marcell, Daphne Maxwell Reid and Alfonso Ribeiro as well as recurring co-star DJ Jazzy Jeff for "a family reunion on set in the Banks' home for a look back at the groundbreaking show."
Taped on the 30th anniversary of the show's original series premiere, and directed by Marcus Raboy (Laugh Aid, Whitney Cummings: Can I Touch It?), the special will be a "funny and heartfelt night full of music, dancing, and a look at the cultural impact the series has had," and also features a surprise guest star: Janet Hubert, who played the original Aunt Viv.
Meanwhile, fans waiting for the highly anticipated Friends reunion will have to wait only a little bit longer. The much-delayed HBO Max special, which was pushed back due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, will begin filming in March 2021, according to Matthew Perry, who tweeted the news.
Friends reunion being rescheduled for the beginning of March. Looks like we have a busy year coming up. And that's the way I like it!
— matthew perry (@MatthewPerry) November 12, 2020
The Hollywood Reporter confirmed Perry's announcement, adding that while plans are still being finalized, the goal is to film the reunion special in the first part of the new year. We can likely expect the reunion special to be released on HBO Max sometime in mid-to late 2021, about a year after its original intended debut date. The special was meant to be part of HBO Max's launch in May, but was delayed by the pandemic, as the stars and HBO Max execs wanted an in-person reunion at the show's former home, Stage 24 on the Warner Bros. lot in Burbank.
So it looks like 2021 will be the one where we finally get the Friends reunion.