With the highly-anticipated sequel to the hit mockumentary series The Office greenlit by Peacock, one producer on the original show is looking forward to what’s to come. Justin Spitzer, who was a producer on The Office told Screen Rant he’s “excited” about the new series, which is reported to be called The Paper, and will follow the lives of reporters at a declining newspaper.
“I haven’t had anything to do with The Office reboot or spinoff or whatever they’re calling it, so all I know about it is what I’ve read in the press. But I’m very excited to see it!” Spitzer said. “I remember when I heard they were going to do an American remake of the British Office, and I thought, ‘There’s no way anyone can do justice to the BBC original.’ But, then Greg Daniels pulled it off. So if there’s any writer up to the challenge of bringing back everything that made the American Office great, while also finding a new perspective and ways to make it relevant, it’s Greg.”
I thought, ‘There’s no way anyone can do justice to the BBC original.’ But, then Greg Daniels pulled it off.
The original American Office, which chronicled the lives of the employees at Dunder Mifflin Paper Company’s Scranton branch, ran for nine seasons from 2005 until 2013 and was based on the popular UK series that Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant created. It starred Steve Carell, John Krasinski, Jenna Fischer, Mindy Kaling, and Rainn Wilson.
The sequel series, The Paper, already has cast five actors for the series, including Melvin Gregg (Snowfall, Nine Perfect Strangers), Chelsea Frei (The Moodys, The Cleaning Lady), Ramona Young (Legends of Tomorrow, Never Have I Ever), Domhnall Gleeson (Alice & Jack, Ex Machina), and Sabrina Impacciatore (The White Lotus, The Passion of the Christ).
The Paper Will be Set in the Same Universe as The Office
In a previous statement from NBCU Entertainment president of scripted content, Lisa Katz, she said of the new venture, “It’s been more than 10 years since the final episode of The Office aired on NBC, and the acclaimed comedy series continues to gain popularity and build new generations of fans on Peacock. In partnership with Universal Television and led by the creative team of Greg Daniels and Michael Koman, this new series set in the universe of Dunder Mifflin introduces a new cast of characters in a fresh setting ripe for comedic storytelling: a daily newspaper.”
Daniels and Koman are the creators of the new show and will executive produce with Gervais and Merchant. The show’s other executive producers are Howard Klein, Ben Silverman, and Banijay Americas.
Will Any Office Actors Return?
While the series is set to take place in The Office universe, it remains to be seen whether any of the original cast members will guest star on the new show. Carell previously said that he was not going to be in the show. Wilson, who played Dwight Schrute in the original series, said he would be up to make a guest appearance in the new series as his beet-farming character.
All nine seasons of The Office are available to stream on Peacock. However, a premiere date for The Paper has not been announced.
