Move over Michael Scott and David Brent — it’s time for The Office to get a refresh, Aussie style! An Australian version of The Office franchise is coming to Prime Video and this time the out of touch middle manager will be played by a woman.
Wakefield star Felicity Ward has been tapped to play Hannah Howard, the managing director of the Finley Craddick packaging company. In a borrowed-from-the-headlines twist, Howard learns that her office is about to be shut down and the employees will all be working remotely as part of the company’s new post-COVID work model.
Howard, whose life revolves around her “work family,” will stop at nothing to ensure that they stay together while the home office continues to push for the office to be closed.
This will be the thirteenth iteration of The Office, based on the hit UK comedy created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant. While many people are more than familiar with the UK and US versions of the series, there have been spinoffs of the franchise set all over the world, including France, Chile, Canada, Israel and the Middle East.
"The Office has connected with audiences around the world because everyone recognises their own David Brent, and now it’s Australia’s turn," said Kylie Washington, general manager and creative director, production, BBC Studios ANZ. "We figured the world is ready for a lovable, flawed, lady boss, ruling over her packaging empire in The Office Australia."
“I’m very excited about Australia remaking my little show from the turn of the century,” Gervais said in a statement to Variety. “Office politics have changed a bit in 20 years, so can’t wait to see how they navigate a modern-day David Brent.”
The Office Australia will be an eight-part series debuting in 2024, with filming set to begin in Sydney in June. The series will be distributed globally — with exception to the US — on Prime Video.
Ward will be joined by Edith Poor (The Power of the Dog), Steen Raskopoulos (The Duchess), Shari Sebbens (Thor: Love and Thunder), Josh Thomson (Young Rock), Jonny Brugh (What We Do in the Shadows), Pallavi Sharda (The Twelve), Susan Ling Young (Hungry Ghosts), Firass Dirani (Underbelly), Raj Labade and Lucy Schmit.
