Who would have thought that NBC “The Office’s” Dwight Schrute would become both a Hollywood leading man and a wild drummer? He does all these in the upcoming “The Rocker,” due for release on August 20.

The actor who impersonates the wannabe artist is none other than Rainn Wilson, known for his parts in the NBC series and in HBO’s “Six Feet Under.” In the Fox Atomic comedy he plays an out of the frame middle-aged drummer who is striving to resurrect his wrecked music career together with a heavy metal band.

Rainn Wilson’s big-screen step forward may represent a major breakthrough for the actor, who didn’t seek further than insignificant roles in big productions, such as pharmacy owner Rollo in the much talked-about “Juno,” or front roles in more or less trivial TV series.

“I really didn’t play any drums at all, so I had to learn the basics,” Wilson said during a recent promotional stop in Dallas, as quoted by the Denton Record Chronicle. “I watched a lot of heavy metal videos on YouTube, watched a lot of hair metal and those drummers from that era,” he added, according to the same source.

In “The Rocker” he plays musician Robert “Fish” Fishman, who is kicked out of a fictional 80s glam rock band before the certain group becomes famous. However, he gets his second chance to renew his career when he joins the anonymous garage band of his nephew Matt, played by Josh Gad. The things get even more hilarious when falls for the guitarist’s mom, impersonated by Christina Applegate. Furthermore, Pete Best, an ex-member of The Beatles who had a similar past has a brief appearance in the movie as well.

“I really enjoy playing outsiders, people who don’t fit in. Those are my people and that’s who I like to play,” Wilson said, as cited by Denton Record Chronicle. “My main acting teacher at NYU said I would make a career for myself playing eccentric comedy character parts, and that going down that road would take a long time. “