We have heard the rumors for a while, the possibility of a “Friends” (NBC’s hit TV show) movie happening for the big screen. After the “Sex And The City” cast denied for years of a movie’s improbability, that finally came to fruition and cleaned house at the box office last year, which ultimately led to a sequel and more hype about other successful TV shows making the transition. Hence we are left with a update from one of the biggest cast members from “Friends”, Central Perk’s Gunther. No, while he’s not even technically a key ‘friend’, he still claims to drop some insider knowledge about the project’s likelihood. James Michael Tyler hits us with this via NewsOfTheWorld:
“‘Friends: The Movie’ is definitely on,” he said. “I still keep in touch with a lot of the cast and they say that they are really keen. I am definitely on board to do the film. I really loved my time on the show and I am looking forward to meeting up with the old gang again. I just hope we can do justice to the show in a film.“
A ringing endorsement to be sure. I am sure he is tight with all of the main cast members, such as Jennifer Aniston (whose love life is leading to her remaining in the spotlight), Matthew Perry (whose isn’t), Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer, Matt LeBlanc (ditto for them), and Courtney Cox who now routinely appears half-dressed in “Cougar Town” for ABC. Nary a word from them recently, outside of Aniston’s supposed waffling on the likelihood of the project in the past. The script is supposedly being written while the the cast is still bathing in their money from the show. Rumor has it Schwimmer uses c-notes as toilet paper. With this news, I am sure we can all mark it down on our calendars and prepare for the sitcom madness to make it to the big screen. I wonder if it will have a situation where one of them dates another? Just a thought for a novel Hollywood concept.
I would guess that Gunther and crew could all use the work, save for two of the leading ladies I suppose, so it probably wouldn’t be too difficult to convince them to do it (as long as they all made the same amount of money to do it). I don’t know about all of this, not really looking forward to it if it were to happen, but legions of women and sissy men would. What are your thoughts? I am out like “Smelly Cat.”
I find it hard to see how a traditional 3 camera sitcom can make it as a movie. Sex in the city was a pay cable show, used traditional filming techniques, etc, so I think the transition wasnt that difficult, just expand one show into 2hrs, etc. And its been how many years since Friends has been off the air, I want to say 4 years, seems like a pretty long gap to try and bank on that past success. Lets do a Seinfeld movie or Cheers movie while we're at it.
Good point. With that in mind, has a 3-camera show been adapted to a film? I know the 'Honeymooners' exists, but that couldn't have been more a bastardization of the TV show. I used to want a 'Seinfeld' film when the show went off the air, but now realize it may have even tainted the series' image. I don't think this could end up being any different.
I dont think there really has. I know they converted films to a 3 camera TV, what with The Odd Couple, but the other way around is hard to imagine. I know Lucy and Desi Arnaz made a I Love Lucy movie but that was never shown but once, so obviously it was no success. Seems to me when they do a transition from TV to Movie, historically it hasnt been the same cast doing the movie, much like the Honeymooners, etc. To me they've missed the boat.
Batman wasn't a sitcom, but it was a three-camera show, essentially. As far as a I know, that's how the movie was as well. However, I don't think it was actually released theatrically. It'd be odd to see "Friends" turned into a single-camera feature and I really don't see it working very well.
Yeah, I was going to say the Brady Bunch movie, but I think the original cast was doing TV movies for the show. The actual movies that came later were more self-parody and featured a different cast. Friends should be a cool movie whenever it comes out. I loved Friends back in the 90s and 00s. Now was the original Batman series from the 60s considered a sitcom, because that was made into a movie, I think during or after the first season?