BBC Studios and Dubai-based MBC Studios have announced this adaptation for the Middle Eastern market.
A courier services company
Titled “Al Maktab,” the series will be set in Saudi Arabia and directed by Hisham Fathi (“Ending So Gently”). Filming is expected to begin in June, Variety reports.
The remake will comprise 20 episodes, and will air on MBC Group channels as well as on the Shahid VIP streaming platform later this year.
There is no word yet on whether the UK’s Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, the creators of the original version, will be involved in the development of this remake.
This time, the story will not be set in a paper company, but will follow the day-to-day life of a courier services company.
Actor Saleh Abuamrh (“The Fates Hotel”) will play the egocentric but likable boss Malik Al-Tuwaifi – quite the challenge after the cult performances of Ricky Gervais as David Brent in the original UK version and Steve Carell as Michael Scott in the US remake.
Fahad Albutairi, Nawaf Alshobaili, Saad Aziz, Adhwa Fahad, Razan Mansour, Reem Busati and Hisham Hawsawi are also in the cast.
“Although office working may look slightly different for many of us in 2022, the familiarity of these well-observed characters as they navigate petty rivalries, moments of friendship and humour, and a boss that sometimes makes a fool of themselves, still rings just as true,” said André Renaud of BBC Studios in a statement.
“Audiences around the world, including in the [Middle East/North Africa] region, are no strangers to ‘The Office,’ and given its huge success over the past two decades, it’s incredibly exciting for us to now be bringing the very first Arabic version of the comedy to MBC’s screens very soon,” said Zeinab Abul Alsamh, general manager of MBC Studios KSA.
Arabic-language shows, a new driver of success for streamers?
The BBC is not alone in exploring Arabic-language productions. Recently, Disney+ launched “Moon Knight” starring Oscar Isaac and Ethan Hawke.
This mini-series, set in the Marvel universe, takes place between London and Egypt. For episode three, the cult Marvel credits were even reworked in a version featuring Arabic music.
The streaming platform also stood out with Antoine Chevrollier’s mini-series “Oussekine,” which features several sections of dialogue in Arabic.
This could be seen as a minor revolution in the world of streaming, where the Arabic language is still very little used in popular shows. The growth of Arabic-language series could reverse this trend.
For its part, Netflix has long been developing its presence in the Middle East region with series such as “AlRawabi School for Girls,” released in 2021, or the “Paranormal” mini-series, released in 2020.