Steve Carell confirmed that he won't make an appearance in the upcoming The Office series, stating, "I'll be tuning in, but you won't see me on screen

By M Muzamil Shami

Carell expressed his excitement, describing it as a fantastic concept.

Peacock's new series following The Office has captured Steve Carell's interest, though he has confirmed he won't have any involvement in the show.

"The star of 'The 40-Year-Old Virgin' discussed the forthcoming TV show during the premiere of his latest film 'IF'. Steve Carell shared with The Hollywood Reporter, 'I'll definitely be tuning in, though I won't be making an appearance. It's a fresh concept, and there's simply no narrative rationale for my character [Michael Scott] to be involved. Nevertheless, I'm genuinely enthusiastic about it. The premise sounds intriguing — reportedly set within a family-run newspaper company. I have prior experience working alongside Domhnall Gleeson, who features prominently. Having collaborated on 'The Patient', I can attest to his exceptional talent and amiable demeanor. I'm confident it will be a stellar production.'"

       Steve Carell.PHOTO: CINDY ORD/GETTY

Last week marked the official announcement of the upcoming series. Its logline reveals: "A documentary crew, renowned for capturing the essence of Dunder Mifflin’s Scranton branch, embarks on a quest for a new subject. Their journey leads them to a fading historic Midwestern newspaper and its determined publisher, who seeks to rejuvenate it with a team of volunteer reporters."

Scheduled to commence production in July, the series will be helmed by Greg Daniels, the mastermind behind the U.S. version of The Office, alongside Michael Koman from Nathan For You. Notable talents such as Gleeson (renowned for roles in Star Wars, Ex Machina, and About Time) and Sabrina Impacciatore (known for her work in The White Lotus) are poised to join the ranks of the new office's staff.

Starring in "IF," under the direction of former Office colleague John Krasinski, Steve Carell lends his voice to Blue, a giant purple imaginary friend. Carell spoke to THR about reuniting with Krasinski as a director, noting his familiarity from Krasinski's prior work on The Office. "He directed some episodes of The Office, so I knew him as a director, and he's fantastic—thorough, intelligent, and adept at working with actors because he's one himself," Carell praised. "It was a delightful experience from start to finish, and I eagerly seized the opportunity to collaborate with him again, partly just to reconnect. He's a dear friend, and I hadn't seen him in some time, so catching up was a bonus."

       Steve Carell as Michael Scott on 'The Office'.PHOTO: JUSTIN LUBIN/NBCU PHOTO BANK VIA GETTY

Krasinski expressed equal enthusiasm for collaborating with Carell. "Steve's talent is truly exceptional," Krasinski shared with Entertainment Weekly in December. "Regardless of whether we had worked together previously or not, I would have eagerly pursued him because his voice was the guiding force when I was penning Blue."