Friends reunion NBC HBO Max

FILE - In this Sept. 22, 2002 file photo, the stars of "Friends," from left, David Schwimmer, Lisa Kudrow, Matthew Perry, Courteney Cox Arquette, Jennifer Aniston and Matt LeBlanc pose with the award for outstanding comedy series at the 54th annual Primetime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles. WarnerMedia announced Friday that the entire original cast of "Friends" will reunite for an unscripted special that will be available on HBO Max when the service debuts in May. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon, file)

(CNN) -- Fans will have to wait a little bit longer for the "Friends" reunion.

Matthew Perry, who starred on the hit series as Chandler Bing, announced on Twitter that the highly anticipated reunion will now happen in 2021.

"Friends reunion being rescheduled for the beginning of March," Perry tweeted. "Looks like we have a busy year coming up. And that's the way I like it!"

His co-star David Schwimmer had said in July that they were hoping to begin filming but things had been delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Schwimmer, who played Ross Geller on the beloved sitcom, had told Jimmy Fallon that they had to "wait until it's safe."

"Friends" co-creator Marta Kauffman said they want a live audience for the special.

"This is a show that is not scripted, but this is the way the show works," Kaufman told Entertainment Tonight when the reunion was first delayed last spring. "We are going to need a live audience. Even if we socially distance that live audience, it really is a huge part of what 'Friends' is. We cannot do it without them. "

The special will air on HBO Max which is owned by CNN's parent company, WarnerMedia.

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