Rainn Wilson was planning on starring in a spin-off based around his character Dwight Schrute once The Office ended its nine-season run this May, but since NBC opted not to pick up the show, he’s taking things in an unexpected direction. THR reports that Wilson booked the lead role in the CBS pilot Backstrom, a crime drama based on Leif G.W. Persson’s Swedish book series of the same name. He’ll be starring alongside 24’s Dennis Haysbert as Everett Backstrom, an offensive, self-destructive detective who’s part of a team of eccentric criminologists. Bones creator Hart Hanson is writing and producing the pilot. While this is an hour-long drama, the lead part sounds like it’s suited for a comedic actor like Wilson. If CBS doesn’t order the Backstrom pilot, Rainn Wilson can always try fusing it together with his last unsuccessful pilot and making the Dwight Schrute, P.I. series America deserves.
