The Office’s Dwight actor speaks out after new follow-up series is confirmed

Rainn Wilson, otherwise known as Dwight from The Office, has commented after a follow-up series to the beloved sitcom was picked up by Peacock.

It's been more than a decade since we said goodbye to the Dunder Mifflin crew in 2013 - though millions of fans out there quickly say hello again when they hit 'play' on the pilot for another re-watch.

The show was popular at the time, but it's only gained more fans since arriving on streaming services and as a result creators are now turning their attention to a new series.

Rainn Wilson played Dwight in The Office (NBC)

Rather than a reboot or a spinoff of The Office, the new series will feature an entirely new cast as well as a new company.

However, it will take place in the same universe as Dunder Mifflin, and will be filmed in the same mockumentary style as the original US series.

The official logline for the new series, as cited by Variety, reveals that the documentary crew who filmed Jim, Pam, Dwight and the rest of the staff members are now focusing on a 'dying historic Midwestern newspaper and the publisher trying to revive it with volunteer reporters'.

The show was revealed to be in the works late last year but it's now officially been picked up by Peacock, and fans have mixed opinions on the news.

The new series will feature a new cast. (NBC)

"But the US Office was a reboot in the first place," one X user wrote. "Nowhere near as good as the original British version."

"People complained about the British remake of The Office and then the American version was a hit," wrote a third, before adding: "But I promise we do NOT need a reboot of The Office anymore. Leave the two versions alone, they’re perfect as is."

After fans shared their thoughts, Wilson took to X to get involved in the debate about the American and British versions of The Office, and actually seemed to take the side of the latter.

He shared a clip from the British version which showed his character's counterpart, Gareth, singing a tune which delighted and enticed David Brent - played by The Office creator Ricky Gervais - into joining in.

Alongside the video, Wilson wrote: "If one we’re going to make an argument about how and why the British office was better than the American one I would begin with this scene. One camera set up - one minute. #Perfectenschlag."

Rainn Wilson showed his preference for the UK version of The Office. (X/@rainnwilson)

One fan responded to assure Wilson that the US version of The Office will always have its fans, as they wrote: "Don’t let it bother you. I’m sure your version will be better than the new one."

Others made clear they're excited to see what the new series will look like, with one commenting: "Honestly I'm happy its not a full on reboot and more of a sequel series. Maybe we will get some fun cameos."

We'll just have to wait and see whether the new series delivers!

Topics: The Office, Film and TV

Emily Brown

Emily Brown is UNILAD Editorial Lead at LADbible Group. She first began delivering news when she was just 11 years old - with a paper route - before graduating with a BA Hons in English Language in the Media from Lancaster University. Emily joined UNILAD in 2018 to cover breaking news, trending stories and longer form features. She went on to become Community Desk Lead, commissioning and writing human interest stories from across the globe, before moving to the role of Editorial Lead. Emily now works alongside the UNILAD Editor to ensure the page delivers accurate, interesting and high quality content.