Rainn Wilson: NBC Passes on 'The Office' Spinoff

Michael Buckner/Getty Images

Rainn Wilson

NBC is not heading to the farm.

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The network has opted to pass on its Rainn Wilson-focused Office spinoff The Farm.

The project, which will air as a back-door pilot of The Office this season, centers on Dwight (Wilson) as a beet farmer running a bed and breakfast inn. Traditionally, back-door pilots run as a test-run to help determine if the project will move ahead. In this case, NBC made the decision before the episode even aired. 

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"Farm Update: NBC has passed on moving forward with The Farm TV show. Had a blast making the pilot - onwards & upwards!" Wilson tweeted Monday.

While NBC has yet to officially confirm that the spinoff is not moving forward, the episode will air as an installment of The Office, a representative tells THR.

College Humor breakout Thomas Middleditch is playing Jeb Schrute, Dwight's brother, while Majandra Delfino is playing Dwight's younger sister Frannie.

"It could be really cool because It would be on his farm, which would be a bed and breakfast, and it would have a crazy menagerie of characters," Wilson said of the project in January. "It would be even more far out and weirder than The Office... it's a good idea."

While The Office will wrap its nine-season run this year, its stars and creators have already lined up additional projects this development season. Creator Greg Daniels has sold multiple projects to networks including NBC and ABC, with Office stars Craig Robinson and Brian Baumgartner attached, respectively. 

The potential spinoff was first announced in January. Should the project have moved forward, it would have extended NBC's relationship with The Office, its top-rated comedy. 

Email: Lesley.Goldberg@thr.com; Twitter: @Snoodit