“Big Bang Theory” prequel “Young Sheldon” picked up by CBS
Executives at CBS are banking on fans of “The Big Bang Theory” being curious about one of the key character’s origins.
The network has given Chuck Lorre and Steve Molaro’s “Young Sheldon” a straight-to-series order, bypassing the traditional pilot screening and review process, CBS announced Monday.
No premiere date has been set yet for the new comedy series, which will star “Big Little Lies” actor Iain Armitage as a younger version of Sheldon Cooper, the “Big Bang Theory” character made famous by Jim Parsons. Zoe Perry will co-star as his mother, a role previously played on “Big Bang Theory” by Perry’s own mom, Laurie Metcalfe.
The series will follow super-smart 9-year-old Sheldon and his family as he attends high school in East Texas.
“The Jungle Book” director Jon Favreau is set to helm and executive produce the pilot, with Parsons narrating. And while “The Big Bang Theory” is a traditional multi-camera sitcom, “Young Sheldon” will be presented as single-camera.
