Today in The Office casting rumors: Rhys Darby and Danny McBride

By Sean O'Neal | August 10, 2010 | 7:40pm

Aux Features TV

According to an exclusive report from EW’s Michael Ausiello, the producers of The Office have “quietly reached out” to both Danny McBride and Rhys Darby about the possibility of joining the cast later this season—although there’s no word yet on whether either is a possible candidate for replacing Steve Carell, naturally. Darby, who played the similarly incompetent-yet-perseverant manager on Flight Of The Conchords, has been on a list of potential Michael Scott substitutes pretty much ever since Carell announced his exit, but producer Paul Lieberstein says that, while they’re definitely considering introducing a new salesman, the show is still weighing its options when it comes to naming a new boss, including promoting from within.

Still, now that Conchords is officially not returning for another season, Darby’s schedule would seem to be wide open, so it’s reasonable to assume that if he were made an offer he would take it. McBride, on the other hand, is still very much occupied by Eastbound And Down and selling some fucking shoes, so his participation seems somewhat less likely. Of course, there’s no confirmation from either actors’ camp as of yet, but with the casting decisions on The Avengers settled and the lack of announcements that Justin Bieber is, say, staging a Cirque Du Soleil show based on the weird dream he had last night, Office-related speculation is among the only topics of discussion currently sustaining the Internet.