Steven Universe Spin-Off “Lars of the Stars” Is Official
Lars is no longer the grumpy donut boy — he’s pink, powerful, and leading a rebel crew across gem-controlled galaxies. Lars of the Stars, a new Steven Universe spin-off from Rebecca Sugar and Ian Jones-Quartey, is real, it’s canon, and it’s coming to Prime Video.
TEXT
After years of silence, Steven Universe is returning in a new form — this time with pink-skinned Lars at the helm. Set to stream on Prime Video, the series will follow the Off-Colours crew across gem-ruled galaxies in a story about rebellion, identity, and survival.
“There’s something about Lars that makes rebellion feel tender.”
—Rebecca Sugar, speaking at Annecy 2025
When Steven Universe ended in 2020 with Future, it felt final. Steven had grown up, left Beach City, and taken his trauma on the road. A story that built worlds and redefined queer representation in kids’ media ended in a quiet, personal goodbye. Now it’s back — not with a reboot, but with a continuation, and not with Steven, but with Lars.
Announced during the 2025 Annecy Animation Festival, Lars of the Stars is a new spin-off from Rebecca Sugar and Ian Jones-Quartey, returning as executive producers. The series will pick up after the events of Steven Universe Future, following Lars Barriga as he captains a starship alongside the Off-Colours — Gems exiled for being deemed “defective” by Homeworld society. The character, who once sulked behind a donut counter and hated himself for it, is now fully pink and fully in charge.
Rebecca Sugar said during the panel, “There’s something about Lars that makes rebellion feel tender. He’s someone who had to learn everything the hard way. I think a lot of us relate to that.” The quote has already done laps on fan Twitter and Reddit, where long-suffering Steven stans have been campaigning for this exact story since Season 5.
The concept isn’t new. Lars of the Stars first appeared as an in-universe sci-fi parody episode in 2018. But that version was campy, exaggerated, and borderline fanfic. This new take is canon — and serious. Concept art shown at Annecy suggests a more atmospheric, emotionally grounded direction: empty space stations, bruised skies, ship interiors dimly lit in pink and grey. It’s clearly a continuation of the Sugar aesthetic, but with a harder edge.
What we know so far:
The show will stream on Prime Video. There’s no official release date yet, but 2026 is expected. The cast has not been confirmed, though Matthew Moy is likely to return as Lars. The Off-Colours — Padparadscha, Rhodonite, Fluorite, and the Rutile twins — are confirmed. The series is being produced independently of Cartoon Network, likely indicating a shift in target audience toward teens and older fans of the original. There’s no word yet on whether Steven or the Crystal Gems will appear.
The absence of Steven isn’t just a practical decision — it’s a narrative reset. Without the moral centre of the original series, the story has more room to breathe, to challenge, to shift perspectives. Lars has always existed in that messier grey zone. He was mean. He was scared. He hated himself. And then he died. His resurrection wasn’t just literal — it was the beginning of a new ideology. And now, apparently, a new series.
It’s also a chance to expand the emotional and political stakes of the Gem universe. The original show often gestured toward empire and eugenics, but only scratched the surface. Lars of the Stars could go further. The Off-Colours have always been coded as neurodivergent, queer, and socially rejected. Giving them their own arc is more than fan service — it’s a commitment to telling stories about characters who were never meant to survive, but do anyway.
The show inherits the radical softness of Steven Universe, but refocuses it through Lars’s jagged lens. There’s still queerness. There’s still community. But there’s also discomfort, and doubt, and anger. It’s not about saving the world — it’s about surviving in it. The power fantasy is smaller, sadder, maybe even more relatable. Which makes it all the more exciting. Sugar and Jones-Quartey have always prioritised emotional complexity over marketability. That this project even exists — on a major streaming platform, no less — is kind of a miracle.
Five years ago, Lars disappeared into the stars. Now we finally get to follow him.
After years of silence, Steven Universe is returning in a new form — this time with pink-skinned Lars at the helm. Set to stream on Prime Video, the series will follow the Off-Colours crew across gem-ruled galaxies in a story about rebellion, identity, and survival.
“There’s something about Lars that makes rebellion feel tender.”
—Rebecca Sugar, speaking at Annecy 2025
When Steven Universe ended in 2020 with Future, it felt final. Steven had grown up, left Beach City, and taken his trauma on the road. A story that built worlds and redefined queer representation in kids’ media ended in a quiet, personal goodbye. Now it’s back — not with a reboot, but with a continuation, and not with Steven, but with Lars.
Announced during the 2025 Annecy Animation Festival, Lars of the Stars is a new spin-off from Rebecca Sugar and Ian Jones-Quartey, returning as executive producers. The series will pick up after the events of Steven Universe Future, following Lars Barriga as he captains a starship alongside the Off-Colours — Gems exiled for being deemed “defective” by Homeworld society. The character, who once sulked behind a donut counter and hated himself for it, is now fully pink and fully in charge.
Rebecca Sugar said during the panel, “There’s something about Lars that makes rebellion feel tender. He’s someone who had to learn everything the hard way. I think a lot of us relate to that.” The quote has already done laps on fan Twitter and Reddit, where long-suffering Steven stans have been campaigning for this exact story since Season 5.
The concept isn’t new. Lars of the Stars first appeared as an in-universe sci-fi parody episode in 2018. But that version was campy, exaggerated, and borderline fanfic. This new take is canon — and serious. Concept art shown at Annecy suggests a more atmospheric, emotionally grounded direction: empty space stations, bruised skies, ship interiors dimly lit in pink and grey. It’s clearly a continuation of the Sugar aesthetic, but with a harder edge.
What we know so far:
The show will stream on Prime Video. There’s no official release date yet, but 2026 is expected. The cast has not been confirmed, though Matthew Moy is likely to return as Lars. The Off-Colours — Padparadscha, Rhodonite, Fluorite, and the Rutile twins — are confirmed. The series is being produced independently of Cartoon Network, likely indicating a shift in target audience toward teens and older fans of the original. There’s no word yet on whether Steven or the Crystal Gems will appear.
The absence of Steven isn’t just a practical decision — it’s a narrative reset. Without the moral centre of the original series, the story has more room to breathe, to challenge, to shift perspectives. Lars has always existed in that messier grey zone. He was mean. He was scared. He hated himself. And then he died. His resurrection wasn’t just literal — it was the beginning of a new ideology. And now, apparently, a new series.
It’s also a chance to expand the emotional and political stakes of the Gem universe. The original show often gestured toward empire and eugenics, but only scratched the surface. Lars of the Stars could go further. The Off-Colours have always been coded as neurodivergent, queer, and socially rejected. Giving them their own arc is more than fan service — it’s a commitment to telling stories about characters who were never meant to survive, but do anyway.
The show inherits the radical softness of Steven Universe, but refocuses it through Lars’s jagged lens. There’s still queerness. There’s still community. But there’s also discomfort, and doubt, and anger. It’s not about saving the world — it’s about surviving in it. The power fantasy is smaller, sadder, maybe even more relatable. Which makes it all the more exciting. Sugar and Jones-Quartey have always prioritised emotional complexity over marketability. That this project even exists — on a major streaming platform, no less — is kind of a miracle.
Five years ago, Lars disappeared into the stars. Now we finally get to follow him.
Enjoyed this story? Support independent gaming and online news by purchasing the latest issue of G.URL. Unlock exclusive content, interviews, and features that celebrate feminine creatives. Get your copy of the physical or digital magazine today!
