Ongoing contract negotiations for five lead actors has forced production on The Big Bang Theory season 8 to be postponed.
The cameras were meant to start rolling on The Big Bang Theory season 8 today, but the laughs won’t be coming just yet. As five lead actors remain without new contracts, production cannot yet begin on the new season of the hit CBS comedy.
“Due to ongoing contract negotiations, production on ‘The Big Bang Theory’ — which was originally scheduled to begin today — has been postponed,” a statement from Warner Bros. TV explained. Reportedly, production will be postponed on a day-by-day basis.
The contract negotiations have been developing for some time. The three central leads, actors Kaley Cuoco Sweeting, Johnny Galecki, and Jim Parsons, are allegedly negotiating for a significant salary increase – from $300,000 per episode to an even $1 million. Kunal Nayar and Simon Helberg are also aiming for undisclosed raises.
The contract standoff has been underway for several weeks, but CBS executives have been confident that the situation will resolve itself. “We’re feeling very confident that everything will work out,” President Nina Tessler said earlier in July. “These deals manage to get done miraculously somehow year after year.”
Producer and writer Steve Molaro also expressed confidence in a successful resolution at the Big Bang Theory panel at last week’s San Diego Comic-Con. None of the actors were in attendance at the panel, though Jim Parsons did promote his new animated film The Penguins of Madagascar at a panel with Dreamworks.
The current contract negotiations are particularly significant, as CBS renewed The Big Bang Theory for an unusual three seasons in March.
The Big Bang Theory season 8 will initially air on Monday nights due to the network’s acquisition of Thursday Night Football. If production resumes without much delay, the comedy will return on Monday, Sept. 22 at 8:00 p.m.