Nearly 20 years ago, NBC debuted its mockumentary sitcom The Office — a little show that could that would eventually become a staple in modern pop culture. Developed for American television by Greg Daniels, The Office centers on the employees of a regional paper company, Dunder Mifflin, as they go about their daily work lives and become involved in their fair share of ridiculous shenanigans. Though the series officially ended in 2013 after a nine-season run, many fans are holding out hope that it could return in some capacity, and Daniels has some (more) thoughts about it.
During an interview with Collider Editor-in-Chief Steve Weintraub for Prime Video’s Upload Season 3, Daniels offered some clarification about whether The Office will actually return for a reboot of some sort. Unfortunately for those itching for a reboot, there’s still no definitive “yes” or “no.” However, Daniels doesn’t entirely discount the potential. He notes how a previous report from Puck News got the momentum going, seeing how much fans still care. He continued by sharing that should a reboot truly come to fruition, “I will definitely announce it.” Additionally, Daniels did reveal he has held conversations with original network home NBC about an Office reboot, saying:
“Well, I think that it’s very speculative. The fact that it kind of blew up based on one line in a puck piece was kind of cool, I guess, in the sense that the fans still care a lot. But the thing I would say is, when there’s something to announce, I will definitely announce it.”
Though fans can’t bank on a reboot just yet, it seems the idea hasn’t left the table. Moreover, Daniels previously stated that should The Office continue in some capacity, “it would just be sort of like an extension of the universe, you know what I mean, like the way ‘[The] Mandalorian’ is like an extension of ‘Star Wars.'”
Would an ‘Office’ Reboot Work Today?
Throughout its run, The Office became known for its hilarious yet often cringe-worthy brand of humor. In the years since its finale episode, the series has blown up in the mainstream, becoming the kind of show you can’t quite get away from no matter where you turn. Despite its growing popularity, The Office has faced its fair slew of criticism, largely thanks to jokes and other content that has aged poorly as the years go on. Since a reboot was first speculated, many have wondered whether a new version of the series could capture the lightning-in-a-bottle nature of the show, as much of the content would likely be updated to better fit 2023 standards.
In the decade since The Office went off the air social media and technology have massively evolved since the show’s original run. Weintraub asked Daniels about how the ways we use social media and technology might present the opportunity for fresh new storylines in a reboot. Daniels joked about how cell phones in particular present some interesting opportunities saying:
“Yeah, it’s an interesting question. When you watch old movies it’s like a game to identify what wouldn’t work when everybody had a cell phone. You know what I mean? Like all the story moves of people like, ‘Oh, they just missed you. Oh, dang.’ Now maybe I’ll get on that boat and go to, you know, it’s just like, ‘Oh, how frustrating if you only had a cell phone.’ I mean, it’s an interesting question for sure.”
As a reboot is still not an officially confirmed series, there’s also no guarantee any of the original cast would return, including series regulars like Steve Carell (who previously exited the show in Season 7), Rainn Wilson, John Krasinski, Jenna Fischer, Angela Kinsey, Brian Baumgartner, Leslie David Baker, Oscar Nuñez, Kate Flannery, Creed Bratton, Phyllis Smith, and many others.
All episodes of The Office are streaming now on Peacock. Look for our interview with Daniels for Upload Season 3 later this week.
