Stuart Fails to Save the Universe premieres on HBO Max, expanding The Big Bang Theory franchise

HBO Max launched the new science‑fiction comedy spin‑off *Stuart Fails to Save the Universe* on 23 July 2026 (premiere dates reported as 23‑24 July). The 10‑episode series, created by Chuck Lorre, Bill Prady and Zak Penn, follows comic‑store owner Stuart Bloom (Kevin Sussman) after he accidentally breaks a quantum device built by Sheldon Cooper and Leonard Hofstadter, triggering a multiverse armageddon. Stuart teams up with his girlfriend Denise (Lauren Lapkus), geologist Bert Kibbler (Brian Posehn) and physicist Barry Kripke (John Ross Bowie) to travel across alternate realities and restore the fabric of reality. Episodes run 15–25 minutes and are released weekly through September. The show has generated mixed critical response, holding a 72 % approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. At Comic‑Con, Jim Lee confirmed that DC characters will appear in the series, and production was filmed in Los Angeles County, California. Chuck Lorre called the project “almost a miracle” and highlighted Stuart’s transition from peripheral comic‑shop owner to unlikely hero.