Andy Weir, known for his blend of humor, hard science fiction, and survival narratives in novels like The Martian and Project Hail Mary, is venturing into new territory with an Audible Original titled Exoplanet. The time-travel thriller is set to launch exclusively on Audible on November 5.
Weir serves as executive producer on Exoplanet, a full-cast audio production written by Benjamin Percy, author of The Ninth Metal and Red Moon. The story follows the crew of a starship, portrayed by Anthony Mackie, Ariana DeBose, and John Leguizamo, who are torn apart by a quantum anomaly. Stranded on the same planet but in different time periods, they must find a way to help each other while evading an alien intelligence intent on exploiting human technology to alter the future.
"I'm obsessed with problems, the kind where one person and a lot of math are all that stand between survival and disaster,” Weir stated. “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? 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.”
While time travel is a new theme for Weir, the challenge of communication across vast distances has been a recurring element in his previous works. The protagonist of The Martian, Mark Watney, relied on the Pathfinder probe to contact Earth, and in Project Hail Mary, Ryland Grace recorded messages to send back with samples, awaiting news of their success for years.
Marshall Lewy, North America head of Audible content, highlighted Weir's ability to translate complex science into engaging narratives. “Andy Weir’s stories transform rigorous science into big-hearted thrill rides with heart-stopping action and intense human emotion,” Lewy said. “That’s why Andy’s books have sold millions and inspired blockbuster films. 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.”
Exoplanet will be available exclusively on Audible starting November 5.