Now that Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant have put EXTRAS to bed there’s going to be much talk about what the pair will do next.

Gervais has recently wrapped filming the lead on GHOST TOWN, a supernatural comedy from David Koepp. He’s also co-written and will co-direct THIS SIDE OF TRUTH with Matthew Robinson next year.

With Merchant’s absence from these projects one might have thought the partnership may have been moving in different directions.

Thankfully that’s not the case as Gervais told BBC Five Live that he and Merchant will soon be working together on a film:

“It’s about a group of twentysomethings in the 1970s in a small town where the sexual revolution didn’t hit. They all basically get married and live next door to their mums. It’s about whether or not they can escape.”

Gervais hinted that the movie would veer more towards the dramatic.

I love THE OFFICE (both versions) and EXTRAS has certainly had its moments. As funny as the US OFFICE is, for me it doesn’t pack the dramatic punch of the BBC original. Gervais and Merchant are masters at weaving together comedy and drama and them working on a movie can only be good for the UK film industry.

The untitled movie will shoot in 2009 for a 2010 release.