Brian Baumgartner was a beloved part of NBC’s The Office, portraying the fan-favorite character of Kevin Malone. Despite the character remaining popular with fans a decade after the show’s conclusion, Baumgartner isn’t sure if Kevin will appear in the forthcoming spinoff series.
Speaking with Screen Rant to discuss his recent appearance on Suits LA, in which he wanted lawyer Erica Rollins to “kill Kevin Malone,” Baumgartner addressed a possible return to The Office universe for the spinoffnow that it’s been confirmed that his former co-star Oscar Nunez will be back as Oscar Martínez. “Uh, That’s interesting… I don’t know what the rules are there in the new show, or where Greg [Daniels] sees Kevin,” the actor stated. “I hope Kevin’s still working at the bar right around the corner from Dunder Mifflin. I hope he’s still there, so I don’t know about a trip to the Midwest, or who knows maybe those guys need to write a story about the people in Scranton and come in.”
Kevin from the Office looking at the camera with a serious expression
Kevin from the Office looking at the camera with a serious expression
Despite his uncertainty surrounding a possible Kevin reprisal, Baumgartner is excited nonetheless about the spinoff. “I have no idea, but look, I’m really excited, as I’m sure everyone is, to see what they’ve come up with. Michael Koman and, of course, Greg Daniels, [are] genius, so I’m sure that it’s going to be a lot of fun for people,” he added.
Oscar Will Be Part of the Spinoff’s Ensemble Cast
Nunez’s casting in The Office spinoff was first reported by trusted insider Jeff Sneider. Further details were soon shared by Variety, including that he will be “part of the show’s character mix, and has been in the opening script from the beginning.” Variety also noted that it is believed that producers were hoping to keep Nunez’s involvement a surprise for when the spinoff, reportedly titled The Paper, premiered on Peacock.
At this time, it remains unclear how Oscar will be written into the spinoff, which will see “the documentary crew that immortalized Dunder Mifflin’s Scranton branch is in search of a new subject when they discover a dying historic Midwestern newspaper and the publisher trying to revive it with volunteer reporters,” according to the series’ logline. When fans last saw Oscar, in the series finale of The Office, he was running for state senator.
Greg Daniels and Michael Koman are attached as co-creators and executive producers on the forthcoming spinoff, which was officially ordered by Peacock in May 2024, five years after NBCUniversal first expressed interest in a new series set in the franchise’s beloved universe. Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant, Howard Klein, and Ben Silverman are also attached as executive producers.
Domhnall Gleeson (About Time)and Sabrina Impacciatore (The White Lotus) will lead the ensemble cast of the spinoff, which began production in July 2024. The cast also includes Melvin Gregg (Nine Perfect Strangers), Chelsea Frei (The Cleaning Lady), Ramona Young (Never Have I Ever), Gbemisola Ikumelo (Famalam), comedian Alex Edelman, Tim Key (Inside No. 9), and Eric Rahill (Friendship).
All nine seasons of The Office are available for streaming on Peacock. A premiere window for the spinoff has not yet been announced.
