Lucasfilm Teams Up With The Big Bang Theory for a Star Wars Episode

Posted on April 2, 2014

Lucasfilm and the creators of the hit tv show The Big Bang Theory have teamed up for a special Star Wars themed episode of the show to air on May 1st, just in time for Star Wars Day on May 4th. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the episode will be called "The Proton Transmogrification" and will feature guest star Bob Newhart, who plays Sheldon's childhood idol, Professor Proton. In the episode, Sheldon is guided by visions of Professor Proton -- only the professor is actually a character from Star Wars (we don't know who yet). Newhart will appear as a Jedi master and will get to carry a real light saber.

Yes, that's right. Industrial Light and Magic provided all the props and cgi work to recreate the planet Dagobah, where Yoda was living in exile during the time shown in the original Stars Wars movies. Industrial Light and Magic sent Lucasfilm VFX genius Eddie Pasquarello to the set to oversee all aspects of the production so the swamp planet would look just right.

Bob Newhart is pretty excited about the project saying he watched Phantom Menace to get what Degobah would look like. He said they explained all the details of the light saber to him and what it could do. In fact he said they warned him not to point the light saber at Jim Parsons, who plays Dr. Sheldon Cooper, because "it would kill him!"

We cannot wait to see this episode.