NBC announced Wednesday that “The Office” will welcome Will Ferrell for a guest arc later this season.
Though the network has previously shied away from welcoming high-profile stars into the fold, even for guest appearances, it appears the show wants to truly ramp up its buzz as it prepares for the departure of Steve Carell.
Ferrell is not being eyed as a full-time replacement for Carell, although the character would certainly have the credentials to take over the Scranton branch of Dunder Mifflin Sabre. Ferrell will play “a branch manager who arrives from the home office and proves to be just as inappropriate as Michael.”
And, indeed, the word is that Ferrell’s character will remain on the show for at least one episode after Carell’s departure, presumably in a “temporary regional manager” role.
“We found Steve Carell when he was nothing but a movie star and we turned him into a television star,” said executive producer Paul Lieberstein. “We are proud to continue ‘The Office’s’ tradition of discovering famous talent, and we hope that once America gets a good look at Will, they’ll see what we see: tremendous raw sexuality.”
