Call it long-awaited, call it an unnecessary rehashing of the past, but it’s happening and we’ve got all the details on The Office reboot cast, including those confirmed and those we’re simply dreaming about if the same characters are coming back. The mockumentary-style sitcom ran for 201 episodes, receiving 42 Primetime Emmy Awards nominations and five wins.
The Office premiered in 2005 as the American version of the British comedy of the same title. The series follows the lives of office employees at Dunder Mifflin, a fictional paper sales company in Scranton, Pennsylvania. The show went on to run for nine seasons until its finale in 2013.
Though it’s been years since The Office was on the air, the show, thanks to streaming services, continues to find new fans. Despite inconsistent critical reception has become a pop culture phenomenon and was responsible for launching the careers of Steve Carell, John Krasinski, and Mindy Kaling, to name but a few.
At the announcement of a reboot on May 8, 2024, Lisa Katz, the President of NBCUniversal Entertainment, explained what fans can expect from the reboot. “It’s been more than ten years since the final episode of The Office aired on NBC, and the acclaimed comedy series continues to gain popularity and build new generations of fans on Peacock,” she said in a statement, per People.
“In partnership with Universal Television and led by the creative team of Greg Daniels and Michael Koman, this new series set in the universe of Dunder Mifflin introduces a new cast of characters in a fresh setting ripe for comedic storytelling: a daily newspaper.” Here’s who’s in The Office reboot cast and here are a few stars we’d love to see as new interpretations of the old characters.
Here’s what we know about who’s been cast so far.
Domhnall Gleeson has been confirmed to join The Office reboot cast, though in what capacity we’re not sure. He’s an Irish actor, screenwriter, director, and stage performer, perhaps best known for his portrayal of Bill Weasley in the Harry Potter film franchise.
Sabrina Impacciatore, best known for her breakout role in The White Lotus season 2, is also confirmed to be joining The Office reboot cast, but again, we don’t know which character she’ll play.
Okok, so we can fantasize a bit, and if the original characters were to come back, here’s who we’d want in The Office reboot cast.
The role that launched Steve Carell’s career, Michael Scott is the sun around which all other characters orbit and the regional manager of the Scranton, Pennsylvania branch of paper company, Dunder Mifflin. Scott’s character is quirky, selfish and a little clueless, but overall he has good intentions.
Rob McElhenney has experience in shows such as The Office, having found his career success in It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. He’s also one of the brains behind Mythic Quest, in which he plays Ian Grimm—the eccentric creative director of an MMORPG video game.
The Office might be too similar to characters McElhenney’s played before, so honorable mention goes to Stranger Things David Harbour, who’s expressed interest in trying something different.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Carrell would not be returning to The Office reboot. “I’ll be watching but I will not be showing up,” he said. “It’s a new thing, there’s really no reason for my character to show up in something like that. But I’m excited about it.”
The character of Dwight Schrute is an extroverted thinker who values logic and seeing results. He’s also a little strange. Danny Pudi would be perfect for this, as he’s played a similarly results-driven Brad Bakshi, head of monetization in Mythic Quest. Brad is sometimes seen as a villain because he doesn’t care about what others think of him as long as he can gain something. Sounds like Dwight.
Jim Halpert (originally played by John Krasinski) is charming, mild-mannered, and intelligent. As an introvert, he copes with working in an open-plan office by talking to the receptionist, Pam, and playing pranks on his deskmate. With Joe Keery’s background as Steve in Stranger Things, he’s proven capable of being charming and playful, just like Jim.
Pam (originally played by Jenna Fischer) is initially reserved and unfulfilled in her personal and professional life, but she’s fiercely loyal to her Dunder Mifflin team. She’s beloved for her dry humor and her excellent listening skills. In The Office reboot cast, we couldn’t think of anyone better suited to this role than Kiernan Shipka, who’s proven both her comedic timing in Totally Killer, as well as the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.
Kelly Kapoor (Mindy Kaling) is portrayed as bubbly, clueless, and outgoing. She is known for sharing everyone’s salary, even if they don’t want to know, and for engaging in long, one-sided conversations about trivial topics. Simone Ashley, known for her breakout roles in Bridgerton and Sex Education, would be perfect for The Office reboot cast as Kelly because she’s clearly capable of straddling drama and comedy.
The character of Kevin Malone is generally portrayed as simple-minded and unsophisticated but also exhibits astuteness, charm, and obliviousness. Taking over from the original Brian Baumgartner, we think comedic actor/stand-up Craig Robinson would be a great addition to The Office reboot cast. Yes, he was in the original cast, but we think his ability to play loveable oafs would make him the perfect fit.
Erin Hannon, originally played by Ellie Kemper, is a bubbly and compassionate receptionist at Dunder Mifflin. She’s known for being upbeat and seeing the good in people, even in difficult situations. Thanks to her comedic and optimistic roles in Derry Girls and Bridgerton, Nicola Coughlan would be the perfect fit for this role in The Office reboot cast.
Andy Bernard (originally Ed Helms) is a character who is often obnoxious, clueless, and short-tempered, but also kind and ambitious. Thanks to his roles in Silicon Valley and the heartfelt film The Big Sick, Kumail Nanjiani has portrayed characters that would make this a natural fit.
Jan Levinson (originally played by Melora Hardin) was a professional and composed businesswoman when she was first introduced as the Vice President of Northeast Sales at Dunder Mifflin. But by the end of the series, she has become an erratic and wild-spirited executive who is focused on revenge. We can’t think of anyone more perfect for this role than the simply divine Jennifer Coolidge. Need we say more?
Stanley (originally played by Leslie David Baker) is known for being grumpy, serious, and disgruntled, and for disliking his job and life. Terry Crews’ comedic prowess in shows like Brooklyn 99 is well-established and we’d love for him to take on this role.
Gabe Lewis, originally played by Zach Woods, is a quietly insecure, neurotic, and awkward character who works as the Coordinating Director of Emerging Regions for Sabre. He’s resigned to working long hours and having no social life due to Sabre CEO Jo Bennett’s unpredictable management style. We like Succession‘s Nicholas Braun for the new reimagining of this role, not just because he’s super tall like Woods, but because he’s excellent at playing awkward, neurotic characters.
Competitive and ruthless, Ryan Howard (played by BJ Novak) uses sarcasm to deal with his job, but he also uses his good looks to get what he wants. We couldn’t think of a more perfect actor to take on this role than Zac Efron, who’s got comedic chops as well as his ability to play slightly cocky characters.
