CBS has cast Iain Armitage ("Big Little Liars") to play a young Dr. Sheldon Cooper in the "Big Bang Theory" prequel "Sheldon," with Zoe Perry ("Scandal") playing Sheldon's mother Mary Cooper. The project currently doesn't have a pilot order but casting is underway.
"Big Bang Theory" co-creator Chuck Lorre will write the series with showrunner Steve Molaro, and co-creator Bill Prady is also attached. The comedy has been described as "'Malcolm in the Middle' but with a young version of Sheldon," who is played by Jim Parsons on the original series. The actor is on board as an executive producer and none of the original cast of "Big Bang Theory" are scheduled to have on-screen roles.
"Sheldon" will differ from its predecessor "Big Bang Theory" by being a single-camera comedy instead of multi-camera. During "Big Bang Theory"'s run on CBS, there were many references to Sheldon's childhood growing up as a gifted student with a religious mother. The comedy is said to "give the writers a lot of material to work with given Sheldon's history — as well as a structure to follow."
The primary cast of "Big Bang Theory" will see their contracts expire at the end of Season 10, with new deals reportedly in the works. "Sheldon" will be produced by Warner Bros. Television.