Production on the ninth season of “Two and-a-Half Men”, the first season without series staple Charlie Sheen, begins next week. While the powers that be are doing everything they can to keep the plot of the season’s opening episode under wraps, Deadline seems to have uncovered the goods.

According to the site, Charlie (Sheen’s character) will have died and the episode will revolve around his funeral – attended, of course, by all of the womanizing bachelor’s past consequests and flames. Charlie’s house will also be going up for sale, with Ashton Kutcher’s character introduced as the new owner.

Here’s the lowdown on 9.01 :

I’ve got more information on the shrouded-in-secrecy ninth-season premiere of CBS’ comedy Two and a Half Men, which will feature the debut of new star Ashton Kutcher and which I now hear will be a two-parter. I have been able to confirm that Charlie Sheen’s character Charlie Harper is indeed dead and the season premiere will feature his funeral. Charlie’s girlfriends will come back for the occasion, and his house indeed will be put on the market. The episode will feature potential buyers coming to see the house (as I reported earlier, the list is expected to include real-life celebrities and stars from Men co-creator Chuck Lorre’s other series), with Ashton Kutcher among them. However, I hear he will not be the rightful owner of Charlie Harper’s digs by the end of the premiere episode, with the storyline expected to be extended into Episode 2. As part of CBS and Men producer Warner Bros. TV’s efforts to keep details of the premiere under wraps, I hear the cast has been asked to sign non-disclosure agreements, something potential audience members for the Friday taping will be required to do too.

Anyone going to watch?