Having starred together in five feature films, most notably 2004’s Anchorman, it’s fair to call Will Ferrell and Steve Carell an iconic comedic duo. Now they’re back together in Despicable Me 4, but if you’ve been paying attention, it’s technically not their first collaboration to be released this year.
Peacock’s The Office: Superfan Episodes, an extended cut of NBC’s groundbreaking sitcom, includes the four-episode arc that sees Will Ferrell’s Deangelo Vickers take over for Steve Carell’s Michael Scott. When I spoke with the two friends at the Despicable Me 4 press junket, I brought this up, and Ferrell volunteered some “superfan trivia” of his own, revealing that this major run on national television was originally supposed to be a simple cameo:
But you know what's interesting about that? A little superfan trivia here. I knew it was Steve's last season, and I just reached out to my agents going, 'I’d love to just do a cameo on The Office, because I know Steve.' And they were like, 'Okay, they're excited. They love it. What about a four-show arc?' [Laughs] I was like, 'Of course, this will be so much fun.' And it was. It's one of my favorite things I've ever gotten to do.
That’s a very sweet sentiment from Will Ferrell, and if you watch the video clip at the top of this article, you’ll see that the two comedians are very close friends with a massive amount of mutual respect. Personally, I think that The Office fell victim to a curse of some shows in American television: it lasts too damn long. Most people will agree that the show loses its footing toward the end, but Ferrell’s Deangelo Vickers with his relationship with Michael Scott is nothing short of comedy gold.
Ferrell screaming at a sheet cake, performing a juggling routine without balls, and being at the receiving end of a delightfully awkward hug from behind are just a few bits that are towards the top of the funniest Office moments of all time. You can check out a compilation here:
Given my love for this arc, anytime the two of them work together is cause for celebration. Or, at the very least, a visit to the movie theater. We here at CinemaBlend have never held back hyping up the Despicable Me franchise, calling the original one of the best family films.
We’ve even got a ranking of every movie in the franchise and a guide on how to watch them in order, in case you wanted to catch up before Despicable Me 4’s release. The movie is truly funny, and even though both Will Ferrell and Steve Carell would totally do the long-fabled Anchorman 3, we fortunately don’t have to hold our breath for the two friends to reunite for the silver screen.
As for The Office, you’ve likely heard that there’s a spinoff in the works promising a new take on the show. So far, plot details imply that we won’t be seeing Steve Carell or Will Ferrell, but fret not, as Despicable Me 4 hits theaters on July 3! Keep it here at CinemaBlend for the latest in what’s coming down the 2024 movie release pipeline.
