Has The Big Bang Theory prequel cast its young Sheldon?

Young actor Iain Armitage is apparently in the frame to play the future nightmare roommate in the spin-off (titled “Sheldon”), with Zoe Perry eyed to play his mother in a story that will explore Dr Cooper’s younger years in Texas.

The eight-year-old Armitage is currently appearing in hit HBO series Big Little Lies alongside Shailene Woodley, Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman, and has also showed up in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit among other performances. In his spare time he’s also, bizarrely, a YouTube theatre critic so he’s probably exactly the sort of kid to bring a child prodigy to life.

And Perry might be quite an authentic choice too, as her real-life mother Laurie Metcalf played the version of Sheldon’s mother already seen in The Big Bang Theory for 11 episodes, with the guest role earning her an Emmy nomination.

Of course, none of these castings are for sure yet but it looks like no matter what, we'll be seeing the adventures of Sheldon Cooper for years to come. Bazinga, indeed.