Just when you thought the Friends stars couldn't be any richer, it turns out Netflix are set to throw a whole lotta bank their way in a bid to keep the show on the air.
Following a mass outcry after the streamer announced the iconic sitcom was set to be expire on New Year's day, turns out we were just on a break and the show will remain.
But keeping the fans happy has come at a high price, costing Netflix a whopping $100 million (£78m). This means the main stars will enjoy a pretty penny from this chunk, with Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer, Matt LeBlanc and Matthew Perry receiving two per cent of profits, i.e. a further $1.4 million padding to their syndication earnings.
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That'll cover Christmas, at least. Minced beef trifles all round!
According to the New York Times, the streamer will be paying the steep price to Warner Bros to continue licensing the show - a significant jump from the $30 million a year that was previously paid since the deal was made in 2015.
That said, as the reports relay, the amount reflects customers' thirst for content in the streaming era. And for Netflix, it's necessary to continue to expand as a TV service. As Forbes put it, the sum is still a 'bargain' for Netflix, as it secures rights to a world-famous show and a buttload of episodes available at the click of the button
Even well over ten years after the comedy juggernaut left our screens, Friends remains one of the most popular shows on TV and has enjoyed somewhat of a resurgence since being made available on the streamer's library.
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And we're sure Ross, Rachel, Joey, Phoebe, Monica and Chandler aren't complaining - as said, they'll be earning a decent-sized chunk from the deal after already earning millions to date.
Their road to riches has been heavily reported on over the years, with the actors earning $22,500 per episode when Friends made its debut on NBC back in 1994. This jumped to between $30,000 and $40,000 per episode for the second series, and continued to rise steadily until they managed to negotiate contracts for seasons nine and ten worth a whopping $1million per episode.
And as shown by the deal with Netflix, they're still earning decent money even well over a decade since it left our screens for good. Looks like Friends will be there for them for many years to come.
Featured Image Credit:Topics: TV and Film, US Entertainment, Netflix, Friends