With Steve Carell exiting The Office before season’s end, the producers promised that viewers could expect the introduction of new characters in the wake of Michael Scott’s departure.  Following Ricky Gervais’ quick cameo this week, funnyman Will Ferrell will reunite with his Anchorman co-star later this season for a lengthier four-episode arc.  According to Deadline, Ferrell “will play a branch manager who comes from the home office and is just as inappropriate as Steve Carell’s Michael Scott character.”  He will work alongside Scott for three episodes and his character will remain with the Office gang for one additional episode post-Scott’s departure “to help create a bridge” between the old and new (still undisclosed) boss.

The Office’s executive producer Paul Lieberstein (who also plays HR rep Toby Flenderson) had this to say about the Ferrell addition: “We found Steve Carell when he was nothing but a movie star and we turned him into a television star. 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.”

Oh, and I just thought of this.  If the producers decide to bring David Koechner’s Todd Packer into the mix, we’ll have ourselves an even mightier Anchorman reunion.

Update: Rainn Wilson (aka Dwight Schrute) commented on Ferrell’s Office visit and what’s in store for the show post-Michael Scott; hop after the break for some quotes!

[Via Deadline; EW] Continue reading Will Ferrell is headed to ‘The Office’ for a multi-episode arc →