Eric Todisco
Michael Scott is staying home from the office.
Steve Carell confirmed that he will not be returning for “The Office” spinoff series coming to Peacock.
“I will be watching but I will not be showing up,” Carell, 61, told The Hollywood Reporter at the premiere of his new animated/live-action movie “IF” on Monday.
“It’s just a new thing and there’s really no reason for my character to show up in something like that,” added Carell, who played the incompetent but lovable Michael Scott in the original mockumentary sitcom series.
The actor said he’s “excited” for the spinoff and thinks it “sounds like a great conceit.”
“I love the idea — I guess it’s set in a family newspaper company, and I worked with Domhnall Gleeson, who is one of the leads. I did ‘The Patient’ with him and he’s an excellent actor and a super nice guy so I think it’ll be great,” Carell said.
Carell reunited with his former “The Office” co-star John Krasinski on the red carpet at the “IF” premiere. Krasinski, 44, played Jim Halpert in the comedy show. He wrote and directed “IF.”
Krasinski confirmed to Entertainment Tonight on the carpet that he won’t be in “The Office” spinoff series either.
“As of now, I haven’t been asked,” he said. “But the truth is I’d do anything for Greg Daniels, it sounds like they have a really fun idea.”
Peacock officially announced “The Office” spinoff on May 8. The untitled new comedy will hail from Daniels, who adapted the original NBC show, and “Nathan for You” co-creator Michael Koman.
Gleeson, 40, will be joined by “The White Lotus” star Sabrina Impacciatore, 56, to lead the series. The rest of the ensemble cast has yet to be announced.
According to Peacock, the spinoff will be set in the same world as the original show. But instead of returning to the Dunder Mifflin paper company in Scranton, Pennsylvania, the show will follow different characters who work at a “dying newspaper” in the Midwest.
“It’s been more than ten 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,” said Lisa Katz, president of scripted content for NBCU Entertainment.
She added, “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.”
“The Office” was based on the British series of the same name. The American series, which aired on NBC from 2005 to 2013 for 201 episodes, followed the daily lives and antics of employees at a paper company.
The cast included Carell, Krasinski, Jenna Fischer, Rainn Wilson, B.J. Novak, Mindy Kaling, Ed Helms and Leslie David Baker.
“The Office” spinoff does not have a premiere date. Production is scheduled to begin in July.
This post was originally posted by NYPost
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