Following the successes of Young Sheldon and Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage, The Big Bang Theory franchise is expanding again. Producer Chuck Lorre and co. have been developing Stuart Fails to Save the Universe, with Kevin Sussman returning to play the show’s meek protagonist. Some details have been revealed and, based on what’s known, it promises to be different from anything else this IP has ever produced. Fans can now rejoice, as filming has finally begun, with Sussman and his colleagues taking time to celebrate.
It seems that production on Stuart Saves the Universe kicked off this week, and the cast and crew are officially on set by the looks of it. To mark the occasion, Kevin Sussman took to his Instagram story to share a photo. Check out the picture, which shows off his character designation marker on his trailer:
The lengthily-titled Big Bang spinoff’s leading man was joined in posting about the start of filming by co-star Laura Lapkus. On her own Instagram story, Lapkus – who plays Stuart’s girlfriend, Denise – took a cue from her on-screen partner by sharing the sign that’s posted on the door of her trailer. Take a look at her post about “Day One”:
Adding to the chorus of celebrations upon the start of filming on Stuart was John Ross Bowie, who is reprising his role as Barry Kripke on the new show. Bowie shared a picture of a set chair (that may or may not be his) on his IG story, and the photo provides a good look at what may be the show’s official logo. The star also tagged his co-stars while acknowledging “day one”:
The only main cast member who hasn’t posted to commemorate the first day of filming (as of this writing) is Brian Posehn, who plays Burt Kibbler. Series co-creator and EP Bill Prady did speak out, though, as he shared a behind-the-scenes photo to his Instagram:
Months ago, this Big Bang spinoff’s cast united for what was reportedly their first table read and, at the time, John Ross Bowie posted a group photo to signify the occasion. That tidbit may have been enough to get some fans excited at the time. However, these set photos truly drive home the fact that the show’s cast and crew are now getting into the nitty gritty of the work. In short, the prospect of the series hitting the small screen at some point has never felt so real.
Stuart Fails to Save the Universe ditches traditional sitcom conventions to tell a story that spans multiple realities. The show sees comic book store owner Stuart Bloom breaking reality due to using a device constructed by buddies Leonard Hofstadter and Sheldon Cooper. With that, Stuart – along with Denise, Burt and Barry – aim to undo this multiversal apocalypse and, along the way, they’ll meet alternate versions of established Big Bang characters.
Co-creator Chuck Lorre has been open about how this upcoming show (which will be streamable with an HBO Max subscription) differs from any of his past work. As the legendary TV producer explained, the show uses “a lot of CGI,” which he really has “no experience with.” Still, Lorre says that’s exactly what he wanted, as he was hoping to do something that would push him out of his comfort zone.
As of right now, Stuart Fails to Save the Universe is slated to arrive sometime in 2026, as HBO boss Casey Bloys recently told Deadline. I’m very curious about what the cast and crew are cooking up and what this wild-sounding show will actually look like. With filming having begun, we’ll have to wait and see if some teases are shared in order to shed more light on what’s coming. In the meantime, stream all ten seasons of The Big Bang Theory on HBO Max, and check out the 2025 TV schedule for fresh, comedic offerings.
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