'That Thing You Do' cast plans reunion fundraiser for coronavirus after death of composer Adam Schlesinger

The band is getting back together.

The Wonders, the fictional group at the center of the 1996 movie "That Thing You Do," will reunite on Friday for a community watch party of the film to benefit the MusiCares COVID-19 Relief Fund.

The actors who portrayed the band plan to take part in what they say is their first public reunion in 20 years: Tom Everett Scott, Johnathon Schaech, Ethan Embry and Steve Zahn. Liv Tyler also will participate, and other surprise guests were promised in a tweet announcing the fundraiser. The actors will take questions on their social media accounts leading up to Friday’s watch party.

It’s unclear if star, director and writer Tom Hanks will take part.

The online event is scheduled for 7 p.m. on the official Wonders YouTube channel. Funds raised through the watch party will aid musicians and touring professionals who are out of work because of the coronavirus.

The watch party also will pay tribute to Adam Schlesinger, The Fountains of Wayne musician who died recently of complications of COVID-19. Schlesinger wrote and composed “That Thing You Do,” the song that launched the fictional band ― initially and confusingly called the One-ders ― to brief stardom in the film, set in 1964. The song was nominated for an Academy Award and Golden Globe for best original song.

Hanks, who had recently been diagnosed with coronavirus at the time, paid tribute to Schlesinger following his death April 1, tweeting "There would be no Playtone without Adam Schlesinger, without his That Thing You Do!" 

His former co-star Embry remembered the time filmmakers were choosing the theme song for the movie. “When we heard Adam Schlesinger’s cassette it was instantly clear which track we would need to learn,” he said.

'He was a One-der':Tom Hanks remembers 'That Thing You Do!' songwriter Adam Schlesinger

Contributing: Carly Mallenbaum, USA TODAY.