Welcome Back to Dunder Mifflin: A Reboot of the American Version of 'The Office' Might Be on the Way
An Australian take on the series is on the way, too — but apparently the US sitcom's creator Greg Daniels is set to return to the hit show.
For everyone who has ever had a cringeworthy boss, annoying co-worker or soul-crushing office job, one sitcom franchise has understood for more than two decades now. It was back in 2001 that the original UK version of The Office arrived, introducing the world to the literally paper-pushing David Brent. And, in 2005, an American series featuring the also-awkward Michael Scott hit the small screen as well. More international takes on the show have followed, including an in-the-works Australian series that'll mark the 13th iteration beyond Britain to-date. Next, so might a big return, with the US version reportedly set to score a reboot.
Might, could, apparently, rumoured, possibly, hopefully: they all fit this news, which Puck dropped in the wake of Hollywood's current writers' strike looking like it is nearing its end. "Greg Daniels is set to do a reboot of The Office," the publication noted in its wrap-up of where things stand now that the Writers Guild of America has reached a provisional deal with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.
That sentence, naming the US version of The Office's creator (who has also been behind Space Force and Upload), is all there is to go on for now; however, it hails from an outlet that's all about insider conversation in Hollywood, Silicon Valley, Wall Street and Washington. As for how a restocked take on the Dunder Mifflin-set The Office might work, who'd star, if any of the OG cast will return, if it'll still feature Scranton in Pennsylvania, how many desk supplies might get put in jelly and all the other burning questions that everyone has right now, there's no answers as yet.
On its first go-around, the American The Office proved one of the rare instances where a TV remake is better than the original. It was also immensely easy to just keep rewatching, as fans have known since the 2005–13 show finished its run. Of course, that's what you get when you round up Steve Carell (Asteroid City), John Krasinski (Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan), Jenna Fischer (Splitting Up Together), Rainn Wilson (Weird: The Al Yankovic Story), Mindy Kaling (Velma), Ed Helms (Rutherford Falls), Ellie Kemper (Happiness for Beginners), Craig Robinson (Killing It) and more in the same show, and let all of them break out their comedic best.
As for The Office Australia — which comes after everywhere from Canada, France and Germany to Israel, India and Poland have similarly given the idea a go — it's on its way in 2024 thanks to Prime Video. In the Aussie series, it will be Hannah Howard's turn to become the manager that no one wants but everyone has worked for. Played by actor and comedian Felicity Ward (Wakefield), she'll oversee a packaging company called Flinley Craddick. And, when she receives news that head office is shutting down her branch — with everyone working from home instead — she's determined to keep her team together.
Obviously that won't go smoothly, or there'd be no sitcom antics to be had in The Office Australia. Joining Ward is a hefty cast spanning Edith Poor (The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power), Steen Raskopoulos (The Duchess), Shari Sebbens (Preppers), Josh Thomson (Young Rock), Jonny Brugh (What We Do in the Shadows), Pallavi Sharda (The Twelve), Susan Ling Young (Barons), Raj Labade (Back of the Net), Lucy Schmit and Firass Dirani (House Husbands).
There's no sneak peek yet at whatever the US reboot of The Office pans out to be, and no trailer yet for The Office Australia, either. But, in the interim, you can check out a couple clips from the US version below:
The rumoured reboot of the US version of The Office doesn't have a release date yet — we'll update you with more information when it is announced.
The Office Australia will stream via Prime Video sometime in 2024 — we'll update you with an exact launch date when one is announced.