Friends reunion: Money a major stumbling block according to new report

The cast of Friends, from left, Matthew Perry as Chandler, Jennifer Aniston as Rachel, David Schwimmer as Ross, Courtney Cox as Monica, Matt Le Blanc as Joey and Lisa Kudrow as Phoebe.

They might not be there for us again after all.

Yes, the long-mooted Friends reunion appears to have hit that not unknown stumbling block — money.

According to a new report from US site Deadline, discussions about a proper reunion special for HBO Max are on hold, with everyone's favourite New York nineties sextet after more money than Warner Bros. TV wants to give them. The gap is, apparently, eight figures.

"There is interest all around and yet we can't get the interests all alighted to push the button on it," Deadline reported HBO Max's Kevin Reilly as saying. "Today it's just maybe."

Hopes that a reunion was on the cards gathered pace after Jennifer Anison posted a photo of the cast together on her fledgling Instagram account. She referenced the idea during a chat show appearance.

The Insta selfie, also featuring Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry, and David Schwimmer set a new record for the fastest time to reach one million followers.

The reunion show would most likely have been an unscripted affair, with its creators rejecting the idea of a scripted reboot during 25th anniversary celebrations last September, Deadline said.

"The show was about that time in life when friends are your family," co-creator Marta Kauffman explained saying a reboot is "not going to beat what we did".