Friends 25th anniversary celebration won’t actually include the cast of Friends. The mega-hit sitcom about six friends struggling with life as twenty-somethings in New York City has gained such a following over the years that it’s easy to forget that the series is now 25 years old.
Beginning in 1994 and finishing in 2004, Friends has managed to hang on and grow its fanbase - thanks to the likes of syndication and Netflix. Friends continues to be one of the most popular programs on Netflix, which is a huge accomplishment in 2019 for a series that began 25 years ago when the world was a much different place. Though this much love for a TV series quite often means a feature film adaptation, that is unlikely to be the case for the Friends, however. Still, despite the likelihood of a reunion shrinking with every passing year, the 25th anniversary of the beloved sitcom will be acknowledged and celebrated at an upcoming event in Las Vegas.
According to a new Twitter pitch from Warner Bros., everything will kick off on October 18th and run through the 19th. The event mirrors the fifth and sixth seasons of Friends, where the crew headed to Vegas to see Joey on the set of his new film. Some major hi-jinx ensued, making it the perfect location for a 25th anniversary. Unfortunately for Friends fans, however, none of the six Friends will be on hand to help celebrate. That being said, there are still numerous activities for fans to take part in, including the opportunity to meet Ross’ pet monkey, Marcel.
Things will get started on the 18th at the Fountains of Bellagio, where a show set to the Friends theme song, “I’ll Be There For You” will take place. The Central Perks couch will be on display as well, allowing fans the opportunity for photos. Also taking place during the festivities will be the AT&T Friends Fan Experience, which will be located at the Brooklyn Bridge at the New York-New York Hotel and Casino. The attraction, described as “more 2019 than 1994,” reportedly allows fans to interact with the six Friends in “a massive and immersive custom built experience.”
These include Phoebe’s Yellow Cab Escape Room, a nearly 700 square foot LEGO recreation of the Friends’ Central Perk set, and The 7th Friend Experience – in which fans can record a 3D version of themselves, which then inhabits a miniature replica of Monica and Rachel’s apartment. Also in store is a performance of “I’ll Be There For You” as well as other Friends songs by The Rembrandts, a Friends-themed Karaoke booth, 4K streams of the series, and apparently much more.
Though the event sounds quite substantial, Friends fans could be forgiven for taking a somewhat cynical view of the entire celebration. Rather than get the cast together for this landmark event, it seems to have been instead overtaken by a handful of corporate sponsors. Friends may be celebrating its 25th anniversary, but without the people there who actually made the show what it was, the famed “I’ll Be There For You” theme will likely ring hollow.
Next: Friends: Chandler’s Job (And Why Nobody Ever Remembered It)
Source: Warner Bros.
