An Aussie version of The Office is in the works and we now know who will be playing the eccentric, legendary role of Michael Scott.
It was announced on Monday that The Office would be getting an Aussie transformation! Since the cheeky news broke, Prime Video has spilled a bunch of extra deets about the spin-off, including who has been cast as the starring role of Regional Manager.
The Daily Telegraph previously reported that the role, which was played by Ricky Gervais in the BBC series and Steve Carell in the US version, would be played by a female comedian in the Aussie version.
Well, Prime Video has announced that Felicity Ward will be taking on the iconic role and no, not as Michelle Scott, but as Hannah Howard, the Managing Director of Aussie packaging company Flinley Craddick.
“In The Office Australia, Hannah Howard is the managing director of packaging company Flinley Craddick,” Prime Video said.
“When she gets news from Head Office that they will be shutting down her branch and making everyone work from home, she goes into survival mode, making promises she can’t keep in order to keep her ‘work family’ together. “
Now you’re probably thinking, “NO! GOD! NO!” But I honestly think Ward could definitely pull the hilarious role off. Ward has been in a number of shows and movies, including The Inbetweeners 2 and Wakefield.
The only thing I have an issue with is the name change of the company. Something about the words Dunder Mifflin just tickles my pickle.
Another big name to join the show is Zoe Terakes who most recently had a role in Nine Perfect Strangers alongside Nicole Kidman and is due to make their Marvel debut as the first trans actor to join the MCU. Hell fkn yeah!
It’s important to note that the Aussie version will have a full cast of new characters. Whether they’ll simply had different names or be completely different to their UK and US counterparts is unknown.
Zoe will be playing a character called Stevie. Chris Bunton will play Dylan, Jack Dutson will play Josh Davies, Kieran Egan is Karl Evan and Cassie McInness will be portraying a character named Carly Munns.
Prime Video has also confirmed that Edith Poor from Lord of the Rings: Rings Of Power, Steen Raskopoulos from The Duchess and Feel Good, Shari Sebbens from The Sapphires and Thor: Love and Thunder, Josh Thomson from How To Please A Woman and Young Rock, Jonny Brugh from Thor: Love and Thunder and What We Do In The Shadows, Pallavi Sharda from The Twelve, Susan Ling Young from Reckoning and Hungry Ghosts, Raj Labade, Lucy Schmidt and Firass Dirani from Underbelly and House Husbands, have been cast in the Aussie spin-off.
Industry insiders also told The Daily Telegraph that other comedy legends, including Magda Szubanski, Celia Pacquola, Kitty Flanagan and Judith Lucy were also rumoured to be a part of The Office Australia.
Following the success of the first two adaptations, The Office has spurred iterations in 11 other countries, such as Saudi Arabia, Finland, France, Canada and Germany.
The Office Australia is set to begin filming in Sydney in June and will drop in 2024. It’s being produced by Bunya Productions, the producers behind The Drover’s Wife, Jasper Jones and Mystery Road.
While people can be against remakes, I mean the reactions from fans of the OG UK series were brutal when it was announced that the US would adapting the iconic show in 2005, but I definitely think with the right banter, plots and characters, The Officer Australia could be funny AF.
Like, instead of a basketball match, it could be a handball tournament with one of those bouncy, plastic balls from Rebel Sports. I can also see Aussie comedian Aaron Chen as Flinley Craddick’s Ryan Howard.
Look, as long as it’s not made like Swift and Shift Couriers (IYKYK), I think it could be a hit.
In the meantime, you can rewatch the OG series in all its glory on Stan.
Image: NBC.
