Will Big Bang Theory Spinoff Bring Back Jim Parsons, Johnny Galecki And More? Chuck Lorre Fuels Speculation

When HBO Max's forthcoming Big Bang Theory spinoff Stuart Fails to Save the Universe begins, the titular comic book store owner "is tasked with restoring reality after he breaks a device built by Sheldon and Leonard, accidentally bringing about a multiverse Armageddon."

Naturally, such a high-falutin' premise raises a number of questions. But above all else, longtime fans want to know if Jim Parsons and Johnny Galecki will return to help set our (unlikely) hero's journey into motion.

I recently caught up with Big Bang franchise co-creator Chuck Lorre, who's currently promoting Netflix's Leanne (streaming Thursday, July 31) — and while we talked plenty about the Leanne Morgan comedy (more on that in the coming days), I also pressed him on Stuart Fails..., and whether we'll actually see Sheldon and Leonard on the new show.

"I cannot speak to that," the sitcom mastermind answered, toeing the company line. "That is a closely guarded piece of information that, you know... I've taken a blood oath regarding."

Fair enough, I said. But then I had another thought: The synopsis for Stuart Fails... also reveals that the multiverse will introduce "alternate-universe versions of characters we've come to know and love from The Big Bang Theory," and that triggered a follow-up question: Without saying which characters we'd see again, is it at least his hope that we'll see the entire legacy cast — which also consists of Kaley Cuoco (Penny), Kunal Nayyar (Raj), Simon Helberg (Howard), Melissa Rauch (Bernadette) and Mayim Bialik (Amy) — back, even if they no longer appear in their original form?

"Is that your hope?" Lorre asked me.

"It would be my hope, and I think millions of—"

"You're going to love this show," he answered. (Hmm....)

And because I couldn't leave well enough alone, I hit him with one last (Big Bang) theory: In the years since the CBS comedy ended its 12-season run, we've learned that some pretty big stars were considered — possibly even approached — to play roles we now associate with Galecki and Cuoco. Macaulay Culkin was considered for Leonard, while Marissa Tomei was in the running to play Penny —originally named Katie — in the unaired 2006 pilot. So, what if those "alternate-universe versions of characters we've come to know and love" were played not by actors from Big Bang, but by actors who were almost cast in those parts?

You'll have to watch the interview above to see how Lorre — with an assist from Leanne EP Nick Bakay — responds to that one. Then hit the comments and let us know what (and who!) you hope to see in Stuart Fails to Save the Universe.