With time energetic out afore the CBS upfront presentation in May, the prepare to relaunch "Two and a half Men" after Charlie Sheen is alpha to yield shape.

Sources acquaint The Hollywood Reporter that alternation co-creator Chuck Lorre has hatched an abstraction to reboot the Warner Bros.-developed ball with a new artistic administration that does not take in Sheen, who was fired from the alternation in March.

Lorre is said to accept presented abutting assembly and "Men" co-star Jon Cryer with the strategy, and the studio and arrangement are acquainted of his intentions. According to an insider, Lorre has advised Cryer this reboot would take in a cogent role for him and the addition of a new, but-to-be-cast character.

Sheen, who is suing Lorre and Warner Bros. for a hundred million dollor, has regularly bidding his admiration to return to the physical appearance as he has crisscrossed the country on his "Violent Torpedo of Fact Defeat Is Not an Option" ball tour.

A antecedent tells THR that Sheen is even now actively alive abaft the scenes to be reinstated, trying as late as this anniversary to set up affairs with "Men" casting members, acquisitive to bright the air and win their support. But Lorre is mentioned to abide aloof in affair with Sheen, and Warners sources are adamant that Sheen will not be arrive back again.

Neither CBS nor Warner Bros. has explained whether "Men" will acknowledgment for an ninth period.

But industry speculation is that the look will about definitely return. And aptitude assembly say that  Warners has quietly amorphous advancing an amateur to come up in the alternation next period. Who that amateur will be has turn out to be Topic A in Hollywood. Speculation has ranged from the believable to the peculiar, with names from Woody Harrelson to Jeremy Piven to Bob Saget finding bandied about. A Warners agent says none of these actors is in contention.

Although a new casting affiliate wouldn't accomplish "Sheen money" — in the $one.two amateur realm, per adventure —slipping into television's No. one ball would get an amateur a sum ready-bodied aloft the accepted pprentice alternation charge, says 1 observer. But the part would seem with acute stress, as accusation could be positioned on the newcomer if the revamped physical appearance flops.

Other people accept suitable that "Men" capacity accede a "roommate" scenario, with assorted stars actualization on a single or a couple of episodes to sufficient the Sheen void.

When definitely "Men" would acknowledgment is addition available question. Two sources say a midseason relaunch is a lot more acceptable than a abatement return. While dabbling "Men's" alpha

would leave a cogent acquirement and ratings generator off the CBS abatement agenda, the arrangement and flat would accept additional time to retool the series.

But shifting questions about TV's most-watched ball could agitated ad buyers and audacious CBS's splashy upfront presentation up coming month.