'The Office' Creator Greg Daniels Has An Idea For A Reboot, Cast Members Mixed On Returning
The Office might be re-opening its doors. In the era of TV reboots and remakes — and when The Office is one of the most popular streaming properties — it's no surprise that NBC is looking back fondly at its beloved Emmy-winning sitcom. Chatter about The Office reboot has been ongoing since last year, but with its stars onto bigger things, it seemed unlikely. But an intriguing new development comes from series creator Greg Daniels, who may have "an idea" for The Office reboot.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, former NBC Entertainment chariman Bob Greenblat teased the prospect of a remake of The Office. While NBC executives have toyed with the idea of rebooting The Office before, it could become more of a reality with the involvement of the series creator, Greg Daniels:
I was talking to [series creator] Greg Daniels four years ago about rebooting The Office, way before this. He wants to do it and actually has an idea for it.
Now what this idea Daniels could have, we don't know. (And what more of an idea do you need for a mockumentary series about a paper company?) But it seems that Daniels is interested, which could get the wheels rolling for a potential The Office reboot. It seems far-fetched now, but when you think about the fact that HBO Max, which Greenblatt is currently working on under his new job at WarnerMedia, is developing a Friends reunion. But a reunion might be all they get out of the former The Office stars, most of whom don't seem interested in returning in a full-fledged reboot.
In a clip from Ellen, Ellie Kemper reunited with former The Office co-stars to chat reboot rumors, with Fischer ruling out a reboot return entirely. "I would not do an Office reboot but I would love to do a reunion special episode," Fischer said. "I would like to get us all together again." But Kinsey and Kemper seemed more amenable to the idea of an Office reboot, confirming they would do "anything" Office-related if asked.
But is it too soon to bring back The Office? The original series, itself an adaptation of the adaptation of the 2001 BBC series of the same name, ran for 9 seasons on NBC from 2005 to 2013. Initially hailed as one of the best TV comedies ever, the acclaim slowly faded, and by the time the 9th season came around, The Office didn't have quite the following that it used to have. But the sitcom gained new life on streaming, becoming one of Netflix's most-streamed titles and the subject of a heated bidding war between streaming platforms. It's possible that a new generation of viewers is ready for The Office to return.