Anthony Mackie, Ariana DeBose, and John Leguizamo are joining forces for a new Audible Original science fiction thriller called Exoplanet. The audio production comes from Andy Weir, the writer behind The Martian and Project Hail Mary, who serves as executive producer. The project is written by novelist Benjamin Percy and is set to arrive exclusively on Audible on November 5, 2026.
The story follows the crew of a starship that gets torn apart by a quantum anomaly, leaving survivors stranded in different time periods on the same dangerous planet. The cast brings together three well-known actors who have all appeared in major franchises and critically praised films.
What Is ‘Exoplanet’ About?
The audio drama centers on the starship Wild Blue Yonder. When a quantum anomaly rips the ship apart, each surviving crew member crash-lands in a different era on the same deadly exoplanet. They are hunted, alone, and running out of time. The crew soon discovers that the anomaly was not an accident. A relentless alien intelligence that feeds on human technology has been waiting for them across multiple timelines.
The survivors must find a way to communicate across centuries before the planet consumes them. The story blends scientific problem-solving with survival, but adds a twist where people are separated not by distance, but by time.
The Main Cast and Their Roles
Anthony Mackie, known for playing Sam Wilson/Captain America in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, voices Chief Engineer Jeff Shaw. His character lands in the present day on the exoplanet. Aided by a virtual assistant, Shaw must navigate the hostile environment while trying to find a way back home to his daughter.
Ariana DeBose, who won an Academy Award for her role in West Side Story, plays First Officer Becca Bang. Her character finds herself stranded in the planet’s dangerous alien past, fighting to survive.
John Leguizamo, who recently appeared in The Odyssey, voices Science Officer Logan Bowers. He wakes up in a machine-controlled future that should not exist.
The supporting cast includes Cherry Jones, Sufe Bradshaw, Charlie Plummer, Ray Porter, and Aida Osman. Ray Porter voices Shaw’s virtual assistant.
Andy Weir’s Return to Sci-Fi Audio
Andy Weir, whose books The Martian and Project Hail Mary have sold millions of copies and inspired major films, is executive producing the project. Weir said the story’s concept immediately grabbed his attention.
“I’m obsessed with problems, the kind where one person and a lot of math are all that stand between survival and disaster. Benjamin Percy’s writing in ‘Exoplanet’ takes that and adds a twist that genuinely kept me up at night: what if the people trying to save each other were separated not by distance, but by centuries?”
Weir explained why the audio format works perfectly for this story.
“You can’t see that story. You have to hear it. The crackle across a five-hundred-year gap, the desperation in a voice that doesn’t know if anyone’s still listening.”
He also praised the lead performers, saying they make listeners feel the distance between the characters.
Built Specifically for Audio
Marshall Lewy, Head of Audible Content for North America, said the production was created with audio in mind from the start.
“With Andy as executive producer and Benjamin Percy crafting beautiful scripts specifically for the ear, ‘Exoplanet’ is built for the audiences who loved Project Hail Mary and The Martian while also giving them something entirely new.”
The production features sound design from Skywalker Sound, the legendary audio team behind many Star Wars films. An original score comes from composer Rob Cairns. The combination of voice performances, sound design, and music aims to create a cinematic experience for listeners.
Benjamin Percy’s Script
The script comes from Benjamin Percy, a novelist known for works including The Ninth Metal. Percy has also written for Marvel’s acclaimed audio drama Wolverine: The Long Night. His writing for Exoplanet was crafted specifically for the ear, taking advantage of what audio storytelling can do that visual media cannot.
Percy said the audio format allows the story to build tension through voices and sounds travelling across an enormous gap in time.
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Release and Availability
Exoplanet will launch exclusively on Audible on November 5, 2026. The audio drama will be available for Audible members through their subscription tiers or as a separate purchase. Pre-orders are available now on the Audible website.
This project continues Audible’s partnership with Andy Weir. Audiobook editions of his novels have sold more than seven million copies through the platform. The Martian became a major film directed by Ridley Scott, and Project Hail Mary recently made it to the big screen with Ryan Gosling in the lead role. Unlike those adaptations, Exoplanet was conceived as an original audio experience from the beginning.
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