rewrite this title ‘SFTSU’: ‘Big Bang Theory’ Spinoff Cast Workshops Scripts Ahead Of Max Greenlight Decision

The Big Bang Theory spinoff has taken another step toward a likely series greenlight at Max. The four stars of the project, which Deadline revealed last week will be titled Stuart Fails to Save the Universe, convened at Warner Bros. Studios March 24.

“And so it begins …,” John Ross Bowie, who is reprising his Big Bang character Barry Kripke, wrote on IG next to photos of himself, and fellow Big Bang alums Kevin Sussman (Stuart Bloom), Lauren Lapkus (Denise) and Brian Posehn (Bert Kibbler), tagging both #sftsu and #tbbt.

Despite the sign included in Bowie’s photos, “SFTSU Table Read,” I hear this was not an official table read sanctioned by Max or the spinoff’s studio, Warner Bros. Television, which would imply a green light.

Instead, the quartet got together to go over the two finished scripts by the SFTSU writers, Chuck Lorre, co-creator and executive producer of Big Bang and all of its spinoffs to date, Zak Penn and Big Bang co-creator Bill Prady. Lorre is believed to be behind the informal table read designed to workshop the scripts for a final polish before they are submitted to Max for series pickup consideration.

Stuart Fails to Save the Universe hails from Chuck Lorre Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television, with Lorre, Penn and Prady executive producing. Because the series has not been officially greenlighted, Sussman, Lapkus, Posehn and Bowie are not formally cast in it but have talent holding deals with WBTV with the purpose of starring in the spinoff once it’s picked up.