‘Friends’ Forever, Or At Least Another Season

Posted Monday, February 4, 2002 at 10:13 AM Central

by Heather Koehler

It’s been in the air for months, but now the cast of the hit sitcom Friends are negotiating with NBC and Warner Bros. TV for a deal to keep the show on for a ninth season.

Jennifer, Matt and associates have called in high-profile attorneys and management firms to get them the deal they want, which is said to be at least $1 million an episode. The six stars take home $750,000 each for every half-hour show. They rejected an offer last fall for $800,000 to stay on for another season.

The negotiations go two different ways. First, Warner Bros. Must decide how much they are willing to pay each cast member and then NBC has to decide what it will pay the studio for the show. Right now, NBC pays a $5.5 million licensing fee per episode. These pay hikes could add at least $1 million to the network’s fee.

Talks have just begun and from an insider’s view it is still a “50-50” chance.