Andy Weir says his sci-fi audio drama 'Exoplanet' is a way to 'revive the old art of radio plays' (interview)

Hot off the tremendous theatrical success of this year's "Project Hail Mary," adapted from Andy Weir's 2021 novel of the same name, the New York Times bestselling author is rocketing back into deep space with a brand new Audible Original release landing on Nov. 5, 2026, titled "Exoplanet."Weir ("The Martian") is executive producing this ambitious full-cast audiobook drama with author and ace comic writer Benjamin Percy ("Wolverine") for the first in a series of curated sci-fi projects for Amazon's Audible. The seven-episode sci-fi thriller stars the vocal talents of Anthony Mackie, Ariana DeBose, and John Leguizamo in a wild time-travel space disaster odyssey that also benefits from Lucasfilm’s Skywalker Sound, which provided the show’s immersive acoustic elements."One crew. One planet. Three timelines. No one survives alone," states the official synopsis. "When a quantum anomaly tears apart the starship Wild Blue Yonder, each surviving crew member crash-lands in a different era on the same deadly exoplanet—hunted, alone, and running out of time."Ahead of the audiodrama's launch, we sat down with Weir and Percy to find out more about this exciting sci-fi adventure.Andy Weir has already been responsible for one sci-fi hit this year, as his novel "Project Hail Mary" received a stunning movie adaptation starring Ryan Gosling. (Image credit: Getty Images (Dimitrios Kambouris))When Percy was first approached by Audible about this challenging endeavor, it was part of a bake-off situation where he was competing with several other writers, all jockeying for position. "I think the thing that set me apart is my understanding of how to channel legacy properties," Percy tells Space. "Having written for DC and for Marvel, I can take 'Star Wars' or 'Predator' or Wolverine or Batman and honor that legacy but also put my own unique spin on it. "When it came to the banner of 'Andy Weir Presents,' my job was to write my best version of an awesome Andy Weir story," explains Percy. "So I thought about space disasters, big-hearted hopefulness, quippy humor, and a roller coaster plot, and then I nested into all of that a time-travel story."Writing an audiodrama is unlike the comic work that Percy is known for, but as he explains, it's also quite different from working on conventional shows and films too."If you’re watching TV or film, you’re passive and letting it wash over you. You’re taking in the story as a passenger," notes Percy. "But when you're listening to audio, you're invited in with the dialogue, the narration, the sound cues. You’re invited to fill in the vacancies. As a result of that, you become like a co-author in the experience. I was super excited to jump into this project.""Exoplanet" lands on Nov. 5, 2026 exclusively on Audible (Image credit: Audible)The genesis of "Exoplanet" started with Audible approaching Weir with the basic idea, but what they didn't know was that he had already been thinking about resurrecting great radio dramas of the past."Earlier on in my life, even before 'The Martian,' I wanted to bring back audio-only entertainment with full-cast productions and sound effects," shares Weir. "I got into listening to things like 'The Lone Ranger' and 'The Shadow' and, of course, the Basil Rathbone Sherlock Holmes adaptations. Also, 'Zorro' was a radio show, and there were a lot of good westerns.""At the time, I wasn't yet famous or a writer, but I thought I could do this myself. I could write something, narrate it, throw in some sound effects, and put it up online," recalls Weir. "But then I didn't because I’m really lazy. Then many moons later, Audible comes up to me, and I have an opportunity to participate in that exact thing. I especially like the part where all the hard work is done by Ben. That’s my favorite part."Exoplanet's all-star cast features Ariana DeBose, Anthony Mackie, and John Leguizamo. (Image credit: Getty Images)As Weir points out, he's not the one wielding the pen this time around, but he did select Percy to be his champion."We got a bunch of different story concepts submitted to us from lots of talented authors, and Ben's was the one that stood out head and shoulders above the rest. It’s a really interesting concept," says Weir."It's not just trope sci-fi with an evil empire of bad guys and some plucky rebels. Ben came up with a unique story with a unique angle. Audio is quickly becoming a larger and larger medium. Everyone's on the go, and now for the first time in history we all have computers in our pocket capable of storing multiple audiobooks to last us years. It’s a good time to strike.""It's a great time to revive the old art of radio plays, and I think this is a great way to do it.”Weir's enthusiasm for the project is clear, and we can't wait to check it out. And we won't have to be, because it releases today."Exoplanet" is available starting Nov. 5 exclusively from Audible for members of its subscription tiers or as an a la carte option.One crew. One planet. Three timelines. No one survives alone. A sci-fi thriller executive produced by Andy Weir (#1 bestselling author of Project Hail Mary, The Martian), with an all-star cast led by Anthony Mackie, Ariana DeBose and John Leguizamo. Exoplanet is free for Audible members, but also available for purchase separately.View Deal