The ongoing streaming wars crave reboots of classics. While some creatives have moved on from their projects, the man behind The Office is reportedly ready to revive the series.
During an interview with the Hollywood Reporter, former NBC Entertainment chairman, Bob Greenblatt, claimed that the creator of the American version of The Office, Greg Daniels, is interested in rebooting the series.
"I was talking to Greg Daniels four years ago about rebooting The Office, way before this," Greenblatt said. "He wants to do it and actually has an idea for it."
Greenblatt now works at WarnerMedia and oversees HBO, TBS, TNT and the upcoming service, HBO Max. His new position led to a conversation about the streaming wars and the competition for library rights. Greenblatt feels that only 10-12 shows "command" networks to control their libraries with The Office being one of these titles.
"In three years, I don't think these libraries are going to be at this level. With us and [NBCU's] Peacock starting up and Netflix trying to maintain what it had, I think it's a moment of everybody raising their game," Greenblatt explained. "But there aren't that many of those shows that really command it. There's probably 10 or 12, and they're all sitcoms."
When Peacock purchased The Office's library, it was noted that the streaming service wanted to reboot the series as well. The possibility of rebooting the classic has created mixed feelings among the show's cast. On a recent episode of The Ellen Show, actresses Jenna Fischer, Angela Kinsey, and Ellie Kemper claimed they are game for a reunion.
"I would do anything they called me to do," Kinsey said after Fischer claimed that she's only interested in doing a reunion show.
Michael Scott himself felt like a reboot of The Office wouldn't work in today's climate.
"I mean, the whole idea of that character, Michael Scott, so much of it was predicated on inappropriate behavior," Steve Carell told Esquire. "A lot of what is depicted on that show is completely wrong-minded. That’s the point, you know? But I just don’t know how that would fly now. There’s a very high awareness of offensive things today—which is good, for sure. But at the same time, when you take a character like that too literally, it doesn’t really work."
