The Office Spinoff 'The Paper' Is Coming

Fans hoping Jim Halpert appears in the Toledo Truth Teller face disappointment. John Krasinski, who played the character for nine seasons on "The Office," confirmed he will not appear.The OfficeJohn Krasinski has explicitly confirmed he won't appear inThe Paper:

This is new. There is no reason for my character to show up in something like that. But I am excited; it sounds like a great concept.

His comments suggest The Paper wants to build its own identity while linking to the original series.

Fans wanting to visit this new office location have a time frame. NBC announced at their upfront presentation that The Paper will premiere in September 2025, though the exact date remains unannounced.

The series streams only on Peacock, NBCUniversal's service. Peacock also hosts all nine seasons of The Office.The OfficeThis streaming exclusivity matches how many studio platforms host their own property, especially for major revivals and spinoffs.

Oscar Nuñez plays Oscar Martinez again. Oscar was last seen in The Office finale running for State Senate. Oscar moved from Scranton to Toledo. He now works as an accountant at the struggling newspaper.

At the NBC Upfronts, Nuñez explained humorouslythe character's move:

I told Greg Daniels that if Oscar returned, he would live in a busier, cosmopolitan city. Greg heard me and moved Oscar to Toledo, Ohio—which has three times the population of Scranton. So it was good to be heard.

This suggests Oscar probably did not win his State Senate race, causing him to change careers and move to what he considers a bigger area.

These television veterans, with proven comedy skills, created The Paper. Greg Daniels adapted The Office for American audiences in 2005. His partnership with Michael Koman adds comedy skill to the project; Koman has writing credits on shows like Late Night with Conan O'Brien.The OfficeFor American audiences in 2005, the show returns to the mockumentary format Greg Daniels helped popularize. Greg Daniels and Michael Koman co-create the series. Koman has writing credits on shows like Late Night with Conan O'Brien.

The pair started development in early 2024. Peacock officially ordered the series in May. Industry reports say the show stayed untitled until June 2024, when it became The Paper just before production began the next month. The team also includes executive producers Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, who created the original British Office, plus Howard Klein, Ben Silverman, and Banijay Americas.

Irish actor Domhnall Gleeson plays Ned, an idealistic employee at the Toledo Truth Teller. Gleeson's character shows journalistic hope despite industry decline; promotional materials show him standing on a desk addressing coworkers in a classic motivational style.

During the NBC Upfronts in New York City, Gleeson said his character has “the unwavering optimistic belief that he can turn The Truth Teller to the glory of its heyday.”John Krasinski, a former Office star.Someone who worked with Gleeson on another project said he is "the sweetest most talented guy" and "going to crush it" in the role.

The documentary team that filmed Dunder Mifflin's Scranton branch found a new subject. The official logline states: “The documentary crew that immortalized Dunder Mifflin's Scranton branch is in search of a new subject when they discover a historic Midwestern newspaper and the publisher trying to revive it.”

Footage during NBC's advertiser presentation shows the documentary crew interacting with Oscar, who looks "not pleased to see them again." This reunion establishesThe Paper is 'The Office Spinoff' coming soon.firmly within the same universe, not just a spiritual successor with similar styles.

Italian actress Sabrina Impacciatore plays Esmeralda, the managing editor of the Toledo Truth Teller. Her character brings journalistic experience and leadership to the struggling publication, becoming a key figure for the newspaper's revival.

Impacciatore appeared in the first NBC promotional images, sitting near Gleeson's character during what looks like a staff meeting. As managing editor, her character likely balances Ned's optimism, though their professional relationship details are private.

One of the shows features volunteer reporters trying to save journalism.The Paper features volunteer reporters trying to save journalism.Its main feature is volunteer journalists. Gleeson says the show centers on “underdog characters that are banding together to keep journalism alive.” This volunteer element reflects real money issues in local journalism while offering good comedy.

The premise matches actual trends where citizen journalists, retired pros, and passionate locals try to fill gaps left by closed local papers. Gleeson's word about the group "banding together" points to a main idea of community effort against institutional failure.