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EXCLUSIVE: The long-awaited expansion of the Office universe seems to be getting closer and closer to reality.
Greg Daniels, who adapted the NBC series “The Office” for American audiences based on the hit BBC series of the same name by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, is setting up a development room with his trusted writers, sources tell Deadline. Work will begin on Tuesday to explore ideas for a follow-up series.
The potential new series, which is not a reboot, would likely be set in a new office with new characters, but set in the same world as the Steve Carell-led mockumentary series, the employees of the fictional Dunder's Scranton branch , Pennsylvania, follows Mifflin Paper Company.
A documentary crew making a documentary about a different subject is a possibility as a prerequisite for a possible expansion of the Office universe, Daniels said.
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Top NBCU executives have stated multiple times that they would be interested in a new incarnation of The Office if Daniels had a chance. This isn't a surprise considering what a hit his series was for NBC and how much it's doing in syndication and especially streaming.
“The Office” premiered in 2005 with an ensemble cast that included Carrell, John Krasinski, Rainn Wilson, BJ Novak, Jenna Fischer, Mindy Kaling, Leslie David Baker, Melora Hardin, Kate Flannery, Brian Baumgartner, Ed Helms, Oscar Nuñez and Craig Robinson belonged. The show ran for nine seasons before ending in 2013, with James Spader taking over the lead role following Carell's departure in Season 7.
There have been discussions about continuing the series almost since the series ended. While Daniels has repeatedly stated that he has no interest in rebooting the series and reviving the original characters with new actors, he has expressed openness to continuing it in some capacity. Opening a development space with some of his closest collaborators seems like a big step forward in making this a reality. However, it is important to note that this is a very early development and can lead to either a successful idea or no result at all, which is typical at this stage.
While individual original cast members could probably appear in a new franchise series, a full reunion seems to be out of the question. BJ Novak, who also worked on the American series, previously told Deadline: “You certainly wouldn't get everyone back together, that ship has sailed.”