That might be what she said but he’s got a different story altogether. Steve Carell says he has no intention of turning up on the upcoming follow-up to The Office and has stored away his World’s Best Boss mug for good.

Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, Steve Carell said that even though this Office series is set within the same universe, his time as Michael Scott is over. “I will be watching but I will not be showing up. It’s just a new thing and there’s really no reason for my character [Michael Scott] to show up in something like that.” That said, he still has faith in the project, adding, “But I’m excited about it, it sounds like a great conceit. I love the idea — I guess it’s set in a failing newspaper company.”

Steve Carell has played coy about a previous return as Michael Scott before, insisting that he would not be reprising the Dundie Award-winning character for the series finale. But as we all figured — and had confirmed — he did make a “surprise” appearance for Dwight’s wedding. Overall, though, even though this Office addition will have a similar style and will most likely feature some of the other characters reprising their roles, if Greg Daniels and company want it to stand on its own, it might best never even consider bringing back Steve Carell, lest it remind viewers of just how funny the original show was (well, until he left…).

Here is the official plot of the upcoming Office series: “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.”

There have been a handful of mini Office reunions since the show went off the air in 2013, including Angela Kinsey and Jenna Fischer’s rewatch podcast. Steve Carell got his own when he was directed by John Krasinski for this month’s IF. On this project – in which Carell voices an old imaginary friend – Carell praised Krasinski’s directing, which he got experience with the season six episode of The Office “Sabre.”

Production on The Office follow-up is expected to begin this summer.

Do you think Steve Carell will be making a cameo as Michael Scott for the new Office series?

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