Unlock the Secret Power Moves Behind The Office Spin-off The Paper—Watch the Trailer That’s Breaking All the Rules!

So, here’s a curveball: what if The Office decided to pack up its quirky crew and trade Scranton’s paper sales shenanigans for the ink-and-paper chaos of a local newsroom in Toledo, Ohio? Yep, you read that right—the beloved mockumentary is donning a whole new hat and diving headfirst into the wild, often chaotic world of local journalism. Enter The Paper, the spankin’ new series premiering on Peacock in fall 2025, set in the very same universe that brought us Dwight’s beet farm and Michael Scott’s cringe-worthy but lovable antics. But instead of staplers in Jell-O, expect newsroom dilemmas, volunteer reporters who might not quite know what they’re doing, and a relentless struggle to keep print media afloat in the digital age. And hey, if you ever wondered how a newspaper fights the villainous internet stealing all the ad bucks—this is your sneak peek. Ready to see old faces with new stories and some fresh chaos? Trust me, it’s gonna be quite the ride. LEARN MORE

Pack your bags. The Office is moving from Scranton, Pennsylvania, to Ohio—and following a whole new industry entirely: local journalism.

Enter: The Paper. Announced in May 2024 and slated to premiere on Peacock in fall 2025, The Paper is a brand new mockumentary series set in the “same universe” (NBC’s exact words) as The Office, created by Greg Daniels and Michael Koman. While a few familiar faces will return, the show is mostly following a fresh cast and profession—and new challenges. The series set inside a historic but struggling local newspaper—The Truth Teller—in Toledo, Ohio. And the same documentary crew that chronicled several years inside the Scranton branch of Dunder Mifflin? They’re now assigned to the Truth Teller newsroom.

Now, thanks to Peacock’s first trailer for the series, we finally have our first real look at the long-anticipated spin-off. The preview reminds us of the setup right away, with a title card reading, “Several years ago, a documentary crew filmed the story of Dunder Mifflin. Now they found a new subject.” Then, we’re hit with maximum nostalgia: A new tune reminiscent of The Office theme song, plenty of camera-facing side-eyes, and some Michael Scott-esque blunders from Sabrina Impacciatore’s character. (“Don’t be so self-defecating!” she cautions, somewhat earnestly.) Then, The Paper gives us a Marvel stinger of sorts: The return of Oscar Martinez, Dunder Mifflin’s trusty accountant. He’s not exactly excited to appear on camera again—more on that below. In the meantime, you can watch the trailer below.

And if you’re chomping at the bits for more workplace hijinks, here’s everything we know so far about The Paper.

What Is The Paper About?

The trailer introduces us to the “Michael Scott” of The Paper: Ned Sampson. He is played by Domnhall Gleeson, known for his roles in movies like About Time, Ex Machina, and the Star Wars sequel films. Creator Greg Daniels told The Hollywood Reporter that Sampson is the Truth Teller‘s publisher who stands at the center of the paper’s efforts to stay afloat and remain relevant in the digital era. Judging by the trailer, though, Daniels smartly made Ned Sampson the anti-Michael Scott—an Leslie Knope-esque figure who will go to ridiculous lengths to maintain the newspaper’s journalistic integrity.

“It’s about this struggling Midwestern newspaper that’s much reduced from its glory days. A lot of the story lines are about how this guy, Domhnall Gleeson’s character, is trying to restore this paper, and he just doesn’t have the budget for hiring reporters, and he has to use all the staff that work there on a volunteer basis to be reporters. They’re completely untrained and don’t know what they’re doing,” Daniels told The Hollywood Reporter. “It’s a fruitful premise. There’s a tremendous history for local papers. The villain here is the internet and the ability to look at everybody’s news for free, and all the ad revenue going to Google.”

When Will The Paper Begin Streaming on Peacock?

The Paper will premiere its first four episodes on Peacock on September 4. Then, we’ll see two new episodes every Thursday through September 25.

Who Else Is Starring in The Paper?

On November 2024, Peacock released a cast list that included the following actors:

• Domhall Gleeson
• Sabrina Impacciatore
• Chelsea Frei
• Melvin Gregg
• Gbemisola Ikumelo
• Alex Edelman
• Ramona Young
• Tim Key
• Eric Rahill
• Duane Shepard Sr.
• Allan Havey
• Nate Jackson
• Mo Welch
• Nancy Lenehan
• Molly Ephraim
• Tracy Letts

On February 2025, it was announced that Office alum Oscar Nuñez will return for The Paper, reprising his role as former Dunder Mifflin’s Oscar Martinez. While details about Oscar’s return are still unclear, it’s possible that his running for Pennsylvania state senator has put him at odds with a local paper, or his political career has tanked entirely and he’s now back to working as an accountant. Regardless, the man seems extremely pressed that his old friends—the documentary crew that followed him in Scranton—are back to capture his workplace turmoil once again.

We can safely assume that Dakota Johnson will not return, however.