Andy Weir, renowned for his blend of hard science fiction and compelling survival narratives in works like The Martian and Project Hail Mary, is set to launch his next project, a time travel thriller titled Exoplanet. The Audible Original is scheduled for release on November 5.
Exoplanet is an immersive audio production featuring a full cast, with Anthony Mackie, Ariana DeBose, and John Leguizamo lending their voices to the crew of a starship. The story follows the crew as they are separated by a quantum anomaly, finding themselves stranded on the same planet but in different eras. They must navigate the challenges of aiding each other across centuries while evading an alien intelligence intent on exploiting human technology to alter the future.
Weir, who is serving as executive producer, has described the project as an exploration of problems where science and individual effort are critical for survival. He noted that Benjamin Percy's writing for Exoplanet introduces a novel twist by separating characters not by distance, but by centuries, creating unique communication challenges.
Communication difficulties have been a recurring element in Weir's previous works. The astronaut Mark Watney in The Martian utilized the Pathfinder probe to communicate with NASA, and in Project Hail Mary, Ryland Grace recorded messages and sent samples back to Earth, awaiting confirmation of his mission's success over several years.
Marshall Lewy, North America head of Audible content, highlighted Weir's talent for transforming complex science into engaging narratives with emotional depth and action. Lewy expressed confidence that Exoplanet will appeal to fans of Weir's previous successes while offering a fresh audio experience, crafted by Percy specifically for the ear.