James Gandolfini has already been paid $ 3 million not to become the new boss of the office after Michael Scott leaves

James Gandolfini, aka Tony Soprano, was reportedly paid $ 3 million not to become The Office’s new boss after Steve Carrell left the show.

Carrell played Michael Scott, a beloved character in The Office, and his departure left fans sad and worried about who would be the new boss of the office. The office presented several potential replacements, including Deangelo Jeremitrius Vickers, played by Will Ferrell.

However, he almost went to Gandolfini, according to Gandolfini Sopranos co-star Steve Schirripa on Talking Sopranos, as reported by Dark Horizons.

“I think before James Spader and after [Steve] Carell, they offered it to Jim – I mean $ 4 million – to play it for the season, and HBO paid him $ 3 million not to do it, “Schirripa said. ” It’s a fact. Jim was going to do it because he hadn’t worked and had been several years away from the end of the series. ”

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Podcast guest Ricky Gervais then joked that Gandolfini was basically paid to keep the Sopranos legacy pure, according to Dark Horizons.

We’ve heard of massive paydays for role-playing, but a massive payday for non-role-playing seems much rarer. Three million will get you a lot of gabagool, so fair play. Maybe Gandolfini used that money in his attempt to recruit Lebron James from the Knicks.

For more Sopranos, check out IGN’s list of the 20 Best Sopranos Moments, then read this story about how Gandolfini’s son was chosen to play young Tony Soprano in the upcoming Sopranos prequel film. Watch this video to see who’s who in the Sopranos prequel after that, then read what the director of the Sopranos prequel says the movie is really about.

Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guidebook maker for IGN. You can follow it on Twitter @LeBlancWes.