About

Stuart Fails to Save the Universe is a new Max Original comedy/sci-fi series starring Kevin Sussman as comic book store owner Stuart Bloom. Set in The Big Bang Theory universe, the single-camera series follows Stuart after he accidentally damages a device built by Sheldon Cooper and Leonard Hofstadter, triggering a multiverse catastrophe.

Tasked with restoring reality, Stuart is joined by his girlfriend Denise, geologist Bert Kibbler, and quantum physicist and all-around pain-in-the-ass Barry Kripke. Their mission sends them through disturbing new realities and post-apocalyptic nightmares, bringing them face-to-face with alternate-universe versions of familiar characters from The Big Bang Theory.

Cast and Characters

Kevin Sussman returns as Stuart Bloom, the owner of The Comic Center of Pasadena. Stuart was introduced in the second season of The Big Bang Theory and joined the main cast in later seasons.

Lauren Lapkus reprises her role as Denise, Stuart’s girlfriend and co-worker at the comic book store. Denise was introduced in the final two seasons of The Big Bang Theory.

Brian Posehn returns as Dr. Bert Kibbler, the gentle giant of Caltech’s geology department.

John Ross Bowie reprises his role as Dr. Barry Kripke, the Caltech physicist and longtime frenemy of Sheldon Cooper and the gang.

The series also features Ryan Cartwright, Josh Brener, and Tommy Walker in recurring roles as newly created characters Kyle, Trevor, and Gary. Kyle and Trevor are regulars at the comic book store, while Gary is Denise’s handsome new boyfriend.

Guest Cast

HBO Max has teased that Stuart’s multiverse journey will bring him face-to-face with alternate-universe versions of familiar characters from The Big Bang Theory, while keeping the full list of returning faces under wraps.

Promotional footage has already revealed several familiar faces from the wider Big Bang Theory universe, including Riki Lindhome, Christine Baranski, Wil Wheaton, Joshua Malina, Penn Jillette and Teller.

Crew

Stuart Fails to Save the Universe was created by Chuck Lorre, Bill Prady, and Zak Penn, who serve as writers and executive producers. Lorre and Prady co-created The Big Bang Theory, while Penn is known for sci-fi/adventure films including Ready Player One and Free Guy.

The series is produced by Chuck Lorre Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television. Danny Elfman composed the show’s original theme music.

Development

Chuck Lorre has since said the idea goes back to the final season of The Big Bang Theory, when he pitched Warner Bros. on a comedy adventure built around Stuart discovering a portal to other universes in the back of the comic book store. “No one really liked the idea,” he has said, explaining why the concept didn’t go anywhere at that time.

Reports of a new series “derived from” The Big Bang Theory first emerged in April 2023, when Chuck Lorre was said to be developing a spin-off for HBO Max. Development slowed during the 2023 Hollywood writers’ and actors’ strikes.

Kevin Sussman, Lauren Lapkus, and Brian Posehn joined the project in October 2024, with John Ross Bowie joining in February 2025. The title Stuart Fails to Save the Universe was revealed in March 2025.

By June 2025, Lorre said ten episodes had been written and described the project as a “significant departure” from his earlier sitcoms, citing its heavy use of CGI and its blend of comedy, science fiction and fantasy.

After HBO Max ordered the series to production the following month, Lorre explained he wanted to do something “radical” and outside his comfort zone, while Prady described it as “incredibly satisfying” to place characters from The Big Bang Theory into the kind of complex science-fiction mythology that those characters love.

Filming on the first season began in Los Angeles in September 2025, with production taking place on both the Universal and Warner Bros. lots. The season was completed in January 2026.

Promotion

In April 2026, HBO Max announced at CCXP Mexico City that the series would premiere in July 2026. The event featured appearances by Kevin Sussman, Lauren Lapkus, Brian Posehn, and John Ross Bowie, along with concept art and first-look images from the show. An official Instagram account, @stuartfails, was also launched alongside the reveal.

The first teaser was released in May 2026 during Warner Bros. Discovery’s Upfront presentation in New York, followed by the official trailer in June. The trailer showcased the show’s alternate realities, including apocalyptic landscapes, militarized worlds, a dragon-filled marketplace, and a universe where Kripke has become the dictator of South Pasadena.

On its premiere day, the series was featured at San Diego Comic-Con 2026 with a Hall H panel, a cast and creators signing session, and an off-site fan experience based on Stuart’s comic book store, The Comic Center of Pasadena. The Hall H panel featured an advance screening of the premiere followed by a discussion with creators Chuck Lorre, Bill Prady and Zak Penn, and stars Kevin Sussman, Lauren Lapkus, Brian Posehn and John Ross Bowie. Felicia Day moderated the panel.

Release and Streaming

Stuart Fails to Save the Universe premiered Thursday, July 23, 2026 on HBO Max. The first season consists of 10 episodes, with new episodes streaming each Thursday at 9 p.m. ET through September 24.

Official Podcast

HBO Max also launched the Official Stuart Fails to Save the Universe Podcast, hosted by Felicia Day and Wil Wheaton. New episodes are released Thursdays after the show, with Day and Wheaton breaking down the latest episode’s biggest moments, comic book references, multiverse theories, and behind-the-scenes details.