Steve Carell, who played Michael Scott on The Office, says he will not be showing up in the newly announced spin-off series from the hit show.
“I will be watching but I will not be showing up. It’s just a new thing and there’s really no reason for my character [Michael Scott] to show up in something like that,” Carell told The Hollywood Reporter at the premiere of his new film IF on Monday.
The new series will be set in the universe of the Dunder Mifflin paper company from The Office, but will focus on a dying family newspaper in the Midwest. It will be followed by the same documentary crew that filmed the original show’s iconic Scranton office.
Carell expressed excitement about the spin-off’s premise, saying “I love the idea.” He praised one of the new show’s lead actors, Domhnall Gleeson, who he recently worked with, calling him “an excellent actor and a super nice guy.”
While he won’t appear in the new Office spin-off, Carell is currently reuniting with his former Office co-star John Krasinski on the film IF. Krasinski wrote, directed, and stars in the movie, with Carell voicing the lead Imaginary Friend character.
Carell spoke highly of Krasinski’s directing talents, noting he previously directed episodes of The Office. He said it was “a joy” working with his friend again after not seeing him for a while.
The new untitled Office spin-off series has been ordered by Peacock streaming service, coming 10 years after the original show ended its run.