Steve Carell is making his return to television comedy, and there is some exciting news about his upcoming series. Carell became a sitcom legend with his hilarious role as Michael Scott on The Office. Carrell left the series after seven seasons and turned towards more series acting roles in movies like Beautiful Boy, Vice, and his Oscar-nominated performance in Foxcatcher.
Carell will be making his long-anticipated return to sitcoms in 2026 with the new HBO series Rooster. It was previously announced that Carrell would be teaming with Bill Lawrence, the producer behind hit shows like Ted Lasso and Shrinking. Now Deadline not only confirms the name of the show but also that it will be arriving on HBO in March 2026.
Rooster will take place on a college campus and will star Carell as an author who is dealing with his complicated relationship with his daughter, played by Charly Clive. The series will also star Danielle Deadwyler, Phil Dunster, John C. McGinley, and Lauren Tsai.
Carell's most recent project was also an HBO Original with the satirical comedy Mountainhead. Carrell has also had television roles since leaving The Office, including The Morning Show, The Patient, and, most recently, The Four Seasons.
Rooster sounds like an ideal Steve Carell vehicle
As successful as Steve Carell's career has been since leaving The Office, he has had difficulty finding a project that matches the heights of that sitcom. It seems obvious that Carell left The Office wanting to explore more dramatic roles, while his fans were eager to see him return to comedy. Rooster could be the ideal blending of the two.
Bill Lawrence has become a trusted name in television with a string of hits that have attracted some big stars, like Harrison Ford, Jason Sudeikis, and Vince Vaughn. He has also shown a real talent for telling stories of main characters who can be funny and charming, but also have intense emotional depth that often gets explored in unique ways.
The tone of Lawrence's shows, like Ted Lasso and Shrinking, feels tailor-made to Carell's talent for playing both the comedy and drama of complex characters. Even a goofy character like Michael Scott was given dimensions, flaws, and tragedy through Carell's performance. While Rooster certainly seems like it will be a very different show from The Office, it could be the next great role for Carell.