'Big Bang Theory' spinoff ropes in Chuck Lorre, Zak Penn
What's the story
The creative team for the upcoming spinoff series of The Big Bang Theory on Max has been revealed. Chuck Lorre, co-creator of the original series and its offshoots, will be joined by Zak Penn and Bill Prady. The trio will co-write the script and serve as executive producers for the series produced by Warner Bros. TV.
Genre background
Penn's genre expertise to benefit 'The Big Bang Theory' spinoff
Penn, who has worked on The Avengers, Ready Player One, and Free Guy, is an unexpected choice for the single-camera comedy as he has no experience with sitcoms. However, his strong genre background in comic books with projects like X-Men and The Avengers is expected to come in handy. This expertise fits the interests of many Big Bang characters including Stuart Bloom (Kevin Sussman) whose comic book store is rumored to play a key role in the new series.
Reunion
Lorre and Prady reunite for 'The Big Bang Theory' spinoff
The upcoming series will be the first major collaboration between Lorre and Prady since The Big Bang Theory. Prady had previously worked as a consulting producer on the spinoff Young Sheldon. Sussman, Brian Posehn, and Lauren Lapkus joined the Big Bang spinoff after signing talent-holding deals with Warner Bros. Television in October.
Character insights
'The Big Bang Theory' spinoff: A look at character backgrounds
In the original series, Lapkus played the quirky assistant manager of a comic book store who later became Stuart's girlfriend. Posehn played Bert Kibbler, a geologist and guitar enthusiast. The Big Bang Theory premiered on CBS in 2007 and ended in 2019 as the longest-running multi-camera series in television history with 279 episodes across 12 seasons.