The Big Bang Theory is getting yet another spin-off. Yes, you read that right.
HBO Max has officially greenlit a new spinoff from The Big Bang Theory universe – and this time, the fate of the multiverse rests in the hands of comic book store owner Stuart Bloom.
In case you forgot (and we don’t blame you), Bloom owns The Comic Center of Pasadena, which Leonard, Sheldon, Howard and Raj regularly visit in the original series.
‘We’re excited to be continuing the legacy of The Big Bang Theory,’ said Casey Bloys, Chairman and CEO of HBO and HBO Max Content. ‘Much like the original series, this new chapter wouldn’t be possible without the vision and storytelling brilliance of Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady, as well as Zak Penn, who has brought fresh insight and a distinctive voice.’
Described as a self-aware, high-concept comedy that skews closer to Rick and Morty than Young Sheldon, the new series finds Bloom (played once again by Kevin Sussman) accidentally triggering multiversal collapse after breaking a device designed by Sheldon and Leonard.
He is consequently cast as a reluctant cosmic hero, joined by returning fan-favourite side characters Denise (Lauren Lapkus), geologist Bert (Brian Posehn), and quantum physicist Barry Kripke (John Ross Bowie). Alternate versions of characters from the original series will also make appearances, according to the press release.
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All about Stuart Fails To Save The Universe
Stuart Fails To Save The Universe is the latest offering from Chuck Lorre Productions and Warner Bros. Television, with Emmy-nominated trio Chuck Lorre, Zak Penn (Ready Player One), and Bill Prady (The Big Bang Theory) executive producing.
‘I wanted to do something radical that would take me out of my comfort zone. Something the characters on The Big Bang Theory, would have loved, hated, and argued about,’ said Chuck Lorre in a statement.
Fellow executive producer Zak Penn was characteristically tongue-in-cheek about the show’s origins: ‘I was on a vision quest in the most remote parts of the Amazon rainforest when a carrier pigeon arrived with a note from Chuck Lorre … I packed up my yurt and hailed the next dirigible out.’ He described the series as ‘insane’.
Bill Prady added: ‘The process of writing this show with Chuck and Zak has been damn fun, and I’m certain that joy will come through the screen. Putting characters we loved from The Big Bang Theory into a complex science fiction story with the kind of mythology that those characters love while maintaining the comedic elements is incredibly satisfying’
Channing Dungey, Chairman and CEO of Warner Bros. Television Group, called the show a ‘completely fresh twist’ on the sitcom that became a cultural juggernaut. ‘Chuck and Bill have given us one of the most enduring comedies of our time … this next iteration promises to capture the essence of what fans loved about the original series.’
The genre-bending science fiction comedy is set to launch on HBO Max in Australia. Whether Stuart actually saves the universe or not remains to be seen.
Stuart Fails To Save The Universe is produced by Chuck Lorre Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television. A release date for HBO Max has not yet been announced.
