“The Office” universe is expanding. Peacock announced May 8 that a new series set in the same world as the original series has been picked up by the streaming network.
The show isn’t exactly a reboot of the original (which itself was an American adaption of the British version of the show). Instead, the premise of the new series is that the documentary crew who filmed the original mockumentary series finds their next project in a Midwestern newsroom.
“The documentary crew that immortalized Dunder Mifflin’s Scranton branch is in search of a new subject when they discover a dying historic Midwestern newspaper and the publisher trying to revive it with volunteer reporters,” a press release from Peacock reads.
Greg Daniels, who originally adapted “The Office” for the U.S. and “Nathan for You” co-creator Michael Koman are helming the new Peacock show, which is produced by Universal Television. Domhnall Gleeson and Sabrina Impacciatore are named as part of the cast in the press release.
It’s already been picked up for a full season run and will begin production in July.
(Peacock, Universal Television and TODAY share the same parent company, NBC Universal.)
“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,” Lisa Katz, president of NBCUniversal Entertainment said in the statement.
“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.”
Variety reports that Daniels opened a writers' room for the new show in January 2024.
The American version of "The Office" aired from 2005-2013 and starred Steve Carell, John Krasinski, Rainn Wilson and Jenna Fischer, among others. The show has had incredible staying power in the American zeitgeist, finding a second life on streaming platforms. Peacock even included a recipe for the character Kevin's famous chili in its user agreement.
