Steve Carell gives blessing to The Office follow-up

Carell expresses excitement for the new show and praises its lead actor, Domhnall Gleeson.

Steve Carell has confirmed he will not be returning as Michael Scott in the new The Office follow-up series.

However the actor is enthusiastic about the show's concept and has high praise for its lead actor, Domhnall Gleeson.

"I will be watching but I will not be showing up," Carell told The Hollywood Reporter at the premiere of his new film IF. "It's a new thing and there's really no reason for my character [Michael Scott] to appear."

The upcoming series, co-created by The Office's Greg Daniels and Nathan for You's Michael Koman, will be set in the Dunder Mifflin universe but focus on a struggling newspaper company. It will feature a new cast of characters, with Gleeson and Sabrina Impacciatore in leading roles.

Carell, who worked with Gleeson on the 2022 series The Patient, commended the actor's talent and personality, expressing confidence in the new show's success. "He's an excellent actor and a super nice guy, so I think it'll be great," Carell said.

 

Steve Carell says he jumped at the chance to work with John Krasinski again for #IFMovie, partly "just to be with him" pic.twitter.com/IRRwucKFSf

— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) May 13, 2024

 

While he won't be involved in the new series, Carell is currently collaborating with John Krasinski, another The Office alum, on the film IF. Krasinski wrote and directed the film, while Carell lends his voice to the lead character, Imaginary Friend Blue.

Carell praised Krasinski's directing skills, describing him as thorough, smart, and adept at working with actors. He expressed his joy at reuniting with Krasinski and catching up with his friend.