‘The Big Bang Theory’ spinoff planned
Fans of “The Big Bang Theory” are in luck. CBS on Monday announced a spinoff starring Iain Armitage of HBO’s “Big Little Lies” as a 9-year-old Sheldon Cooper, the witty theoretical physicist portrayed by Jim Parsons in “Big Bang.”
Titled “Young Sheldon,” the half-hour comedy will center on the character’s high school days in East Texas, with Parsons narrating as the adult Sheldon.
Created by Chuck Lorre and Steven Molaro, executive producers of “The Big Bang Theory,” the series will feature Zoe Perry (“The Family”), Lance Barber (“It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”) and Raegan Revord (“Modern Family”).
Jon Favreau will direct and be an executive producer of the show’s first episode, which will air in the fall.
Armitage, 8, first made waves as a theater critic on his popular YouTube channel, Iain Loves Theatre. In 2014, he appeared as a guest on ABC’s “The View” to discuss Broadway shows with Rosie O’Donnell.
He is currently starring as Ziggy Chapman in “Big Little Lies,” alongside Shailene Woodley, who plays his mother on that HBO melodrama, which also stars Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman.
“Young Sheldon” presents itself as an attempt to capitalize on the impressive track record of “The Big Bang Theory.” Now in its 10th season, the series follows the lives of four intelligent yet awkward scientists at Caltech in Pasadena, Calif.
Its success became apparent in 2014, when three of the show’s stars, Parsons, Johnny Galecki and Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting, renewed three-year contracts with Warner Bros. Television worth about $1 million per episode for each actor.
Last year “The Big Bang Theory” was the top regularly scheduled prime-time TV program, according to Nielsen.