‘The Office’ South Africa remake, ‘Die Kantoor’ unveils first trailer

‘The Office’ has returned as ‘Die Kantoor’, with the South African remake unveiling its first trailer online

The global reach of The Office continues to expand, with South Africa now the latest country to put its own stamp on the iconic mockumentary. Showmax has officially unveiled the first trailer for Die Kantoor, an Afrikaans language adaptation of the BBC Studios format that has already proven its longevity across continents and cultures.

Die Kantoor is set to premiere with a preview of its opening episode on DStv on January 18, before launching fully on Showmax with a double episode drop on January 20. New episodes will then roll out weekly across both platforms, signalling a confident push from the streamer and broadcaster to position the series as a major local comedy offering.

Stepping into the notoriously awkward manager role is Albert Pretorius, who takes on the character of Flip, the boss of polony distributors Deluxe Processed Meats. The role follows in the footsteps of Ricky Gervais and Steve Carell, both of whom earned major awards recognition for their portrayals in the UK and US versions. Pretorius brings a distinctly South African sensibility to the character, framing Flip as a man deeply invested in his own myth making and desperate to be admired by his staff.

Pretorius has described Flip as someone who sees himself as a visionary leader, comparing his management style to national sporting icons and imagining the documentary crew as chroniclers of his supposed greatness. At the same time, the character is written as someone grappling with outdated ideas of masculinity and authority, creating the discomfort and second hand embarrassment that has long defined The Office as a comedy.

The South African edition marks the fourteenth international adaptation of the format, a testament to the original concept created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant more than two decades ago. The UK series is widely regarded as one of the greatest comedies ever made, while the US version became a cultural phenomenon that dominated streaming charts years after its finale.

Die Kantoor is produced by Rapid Blue, part of BBC Studios, with Bennie Fourie serving as head writer and director. The ensemble cast includes well known South African performers such as Schalk Bezuidenhout, Ilse Oppelt, Carl Beukes, Daniah de Villiers and Mehboob Bawa, alongside newcomers and familiar media personalities. With its local humour, cultural references and a proven format at its core, Die Kantoor is aiming to translate the universal discomfort of office life into an unmistakably South African setting.