Pixar's The Office Series Is Too Good To Be True
The power of artificial intelligence is constantly on display. While some would posit that its greatest utility comes from improving things like supply chain management or workplace efficiency, its greatest power clearly comes from recreating past entertainment successes in the form of quirky modern crossovers. One of the latest of these crossover events comes to us via Instagram user benmornin, who's responsible for a series of AI images depicting what NBC's classic sitcom "The Office" would look like if it were turned into a Pixar movie. While there are no moving images, the stills are remarkably on-point, channeling the animation studio's heartfelt warmth via rounded edges, oversized eyes, caricatured features, and an unrealistic sense of cleanness.
Benmornin has already made headlines for other AI adaptations, including ones for "The Lord of the Rings," "One Piece," and "Star Wars." Other creators have worked with AI tools such as Midjourney to generate similar projects. Curious Refuge made its own Middle-earth trailer in a Wes Anderson style. Twitch channel Watchmeforever features an endless animated AI remake of Seinfeld from Mismatch Media. The list goes on. We live in a golden age of entertainment, folks, where pointless yet clever cinematic reproductions have next to no value but reign supreme regardless.
Zooming in on Pixar's The Office
"The Office" is famous for its large and diverse cast. While we don't get every one of these individuals in the Pixar crossover, most of the primary candidates are present — starting with the one and only Michael Scott (Steve Carell). He is followed by a particularly dashing Jim Halpert (John Krasinski), sporting his fancy hair, not the early-seasons mop, and a wide-eyed and innocent iteration of Pamela Beesly (Jenna Fischer).
A Midjourney recreation of the skeletal-nosed Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson) follows, sporting a nefarious grin. He is succeeded by recreations of the deer-in-the-headlights temp Ryan Howard (B.J. Novak), the all-intensity Kelly Kapoor (Mindy Kaling), the creepy dweeb Kevin Malone (Brian Baumgartner), the quiet and unassuming Phyllis Lapin (Phyllis Smith), and a surprisingly upbeat Stanley Hudson (Leslie David Baker) — this must be after he's retired. Finishing up the list is a smirking iteration of the endless enigma Creed Bratton aka William Charles Schneider (Creed Bratton).
Each member of the motley crew has an uncanny resemblance to their live-action alternative. It feels like they're ready to take their Dunder-Mifflin shenanigans right into the animated world. The question is, will we get another post? There are so many people missing from the Midjourney-generated lineup. Come on, benmornin. It shouldn't be too much work to come up with animated iterations of the rest of the staff of America's favorite fictional workplace. For now, though, the current stock of photos is enough to imagine what an animated "Office" reboot would look like, and we've got to say, it feels too good to be true.