The Big Bang Theory: Season 8 Production to Begin Soon, Kaley Cuoco, Jim Parsons and Johnny Galecki Ink New Contract
"The Big Bang Theory" Season 8 is set to begin production this Wednesday, as Jim Parsons [Sheldon], Kaley Cuoco [Penny] and Johnny Galecki [Leonard] have successfully negotiated their new contracts.
The production of Season 8 was originally scheduled to begin on July 30, but it had to be pushed ahead. The producing house, Warner Bros. TV (WBTV), and the actors were unable to reach an agreement on the new contracts at the time. The actors were demanding a hefty pay hike. Parsons, Cuoco and Galecki were demanding $1 million dollars per episode, and according to reports, WBTV has agreed to give them the huge pay hike.
The Hollywood Reporter reports that Parsons, Cuoco and Galecki have signed on their new contracts, which is for three seasons. According to Deadline.com, the three actors' representatives and the producing house reached an agreement after "marathon negotiations" over the weekend.
Deadline reports that Parsons was the first one to close his negotiation talk. He closed his negotiation on Sunday. Soon, Galecki and Cuoco also agreed to sign on the new contract. The report says that the three actors' new contracts come under "most favoured nations" terms, which means that the three actors have "financial parity with each other."
Simon Helberg [Howard] and Kunal Nayyar [Raj], who are negotiating together, are yet to ink their new contract. Reports suggest that these two actors will also close their negotiations soon.
According to Deadline's report, Parsons, Cuoco and Galecki are going to take home $1 million per episode. "The Big Bang Theory" was renewed for three seasons before the Season 7 wrapped-up, and there are expected to be in total 72 episodes in the upcoming three seasons.
There is also the potential of Season 11, Deadline reports. Also, the site reports that in addition to per episode pay hike, the three actors are set to get "larger pieces of the show, signing bonuses, production deals and advances towards the back-end -- perks associated with talent deals on shows as big as Big Bang."
Melissa Rauch [Bernadette] and Mayim Bialik [Amy] inked their new contracts in 2013. The table read for Season 8 is likely to be held on August 06.
"The Big Bang Theory" Season 8 is scheduled to premiere on September 22.