Emily Osment and Montana Jordan in Young Sheldon.
Bill Inoshita/Warner Bros.
As befits a franchise that began with The Big Bang Theory, its universe is constantly expanding.
CBS has officially ordered a spinoff of “Young Sheldon” — itself a “Big Bang” prequel — about Georgie (Montana Jordan), Sheldon’s older brother, and his fiancée Mandy (Emily Osment), her Raising a young family in Texas. The project has been in the works since January and a direct order for series production was expected after the contract was signed.
Young Sheldon executive producers Chuck Lorre, Steven Molaro and Steve Holland will continue their roles in the new series, which will be part of CBS' 2024-25 slate. Warner Bros. TV, Lorre's longtime home, is producing.
The addition of the spinoff — which will be a multicamera show, unlike the single-camera “Young Sheldon” — will also ensure that Lorre has a series on CBS for the 22nd consecutive year, leading up to the debut of ” Two and a Half Men” dates back to 2003. Young Sheldon and Lorre's other current CBS comedy, Bob Hearts Abishola, are both in their final seasons.
“From The Big Bang Theory to Young Sheldon, the world of the Cooper family has been very special to us,” Lorre, Molaro and Holland said in a statement. “We’re excited to continue their stories from Georgie and Mandy’s perspective.”
Amy Reisenbach, president of CBS Entertainment, added: “It has been a privilege to spend the last seven years with Sheldon and the Cooper family, and now this wonderful journey continues with Georgie and Mandy.” Chuck and both Steves have joined did a masterful job of developing these characters and entertaining generations of fans with relatable, heartwarming stories that brought Montana and Emily to life. We eagerly look forward to the next chapter in this beloved universe.”
Lorre and Warner Bros. TV are also developing another Big Bang Theory spinoff for Max, the streaming home of the original series. Details about this project are being kept under wraps.
The “Young Sheldon” spinoff is CBS' third straight series of the 2024-25 season, joining NCIS: Origins (a prequel based on a younger version of Mark Harmon's character) and the Sherlock Holmes-adjacent medical drama “Watson.” Morris Chestnut in the lead role. The channel will also show the Kathy Bates-directed Matlock reboot and the multi-camera comedy Poppa's House, which had series orders in spring 2023 but were shelved following last year's labor strikes.