Young Sheldon’s Meemaw gets her own action movie, but it’s not what you think

Young Sheldon’s Meemaw is linked to a brand-new action movie thanks to a Big Bang Theory actress, but it’s not what it seems.

In Young Sheldon, Meemaw — played by Annie Potts — hasn’t only lost everything, but she’s now under house arrest after her illegal gambling room was raided by police. Not only do fans think this accounts for her drastic change in The Big Bang Theory, but they’re also wondering why June Squibb’s Meemaw is starring in a new action movie.

The simple answer is that Squibb isn’t reprising her version of Meemaw for an action movie, but instead is playing another grandma who goes on the heist of a lifetime. Set to be released on June 21, Thelma tells the story of 93-year-old Thelma Post, who is duped by a phone scammer and embarks on a quest to take back what is hers.

Now that the film’s first official poster for Thelma has been released, comparisons to Meemaw have come thick and fast — and it’s easy to see why. By the time she’s introduced in TBBT, she would also be 93, with the character of Thelma styled similarly to Meemaw in her later years.

However, the comparisons stop there. Thelma boasts a completely new set of grandchildren, with her more innocent persona falling for a fake call from her grandson, who is actually a scammer.

What is both true to Meemaw and astonishing is that at 94 years old, Thelma marks June Squibb’s first leading role. “It’s wonderful to see age portrayed in such a strong way,” Squibb told UPI in an interview. “Just an elder leading character in something is very exciting.”

Riffing off of Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible, Squibb also revealed to Collider that she did a lot of her own stunts in the movie.

“I loved it. I pushed it, you might say,” Squibb stated. “I’ve always been physical. I danced for three years, and so I felt I could still use my body, and I did. Then driving the scooter, that was great fun. That was great fun.”

Thelma releases in the US on June 21, 2024. Find even more amazing new movies to stream this month in the meantime.