Another Iconic ‘Big Bang Theory' Character Joins Spinoff ‘Stuart Fails To Save the Universe'

The Big Bang Theory spinoff, Stuart Fails To Save the Universe, is coming to HBO MAX on July 23. The series is about Stuart Bloom, a comic book store owner who is trying to restore reality after breaking a device that Sheldon and Leonard have built.

"Stuart is aided in this quest by his girlfriend Denise, geologist friend Bert, and quantum physicist/all-around pain in the ass Barry Kripke," according to Deadline. However, eagle-eyed fans have spotted another familiar face in the most recent sizzle reel dropped on Sunday.

In the clip, Wil Wheaton appears at the thirty-second mark. He appears to be firing an energy blast at Stuart, Denise, Bert, and Kripke.

Wheaton was involved in 17 episodes of The Big Bang Theory, with his first appearance occurring in season 3. However, on his website, he revealed that he wasn't originally sure whether he wanted to appear on the show.

"Bill Prady called me, and pitched me on playing a version of myself on his series, The Big Bang Theory," he said. "Believe it or not, I didn't instantly say yes. I felt like playing myself meant I would only get to do one episode, nobody would care, and the industry wouldn't respect me for it because I wasn't playing a role."

Related: 2012 ‘The Big Bang Theory' Episode Ranked the Funniest in the Entire Series Had an Iconic Guest Star

However, he changed his mind after getting advice from his friend, John Rogers, and learning that the character had been altered. "A few days later, Bill called me back and carefully told me that the character had changed," he said. "Now, the version of Wil Wheaton I would be playing was, and I quote, ‘Delightfully evil.' Now I said YES without hesitation. I was playing a character, just like I wanted to, but I was the only person in the world who could play him, because he was literally a version of me."

He continued, "That week on the set was the best week of my life. I was already a huge fan of the show, but by the time I was wrapped, I was an even bigger fan of the cast and crew. Everyone treated me with kindness and respect. They made me feel so welcome, like I deserved to be there, like I was a valued member of the show. One of the producers told me, 'I hope you had a good time here, because we are definitely bringing you back for more episodes.'"

Copyright 2026 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved

This story was originally published May 25, 2026 at 3:50 PM.