Dylan Sprouse is lending his voice to a new scripted science fiction audiobook called “Beyond Kuiper: The Galactic Star Alliance,” which dares to ask the question, “If our galaxy is so full of sentient life, why has no one said hello?”
The original audiobook is part of a new venture between illustrated fantasy magazine Heavy Metal Entertainment and the network Podium Audio, which adapts science fiction and fantasy novels into audiobooks.
Sprouse signed on to voice a character named Odian Spek, while producer/director George C. Romero (the son of the late “Night of the Living Dead” producer George A. Romero) will play a character named Tordok. (Listen to a clip of Romero voicing Tordok here.)
“Beyond Kuiper” will be released as both a novel and audiobook on Nov. 11.
It centers around “renowned astrophysicist” Bernard William Hubert, who survives an interstellar disaster and fails to convince the rest of the human species that he, the sole survivor, knows the attack was caused by aliens. After he is “disgraced and shunned” by the scientific community for voicing his theories, Hubert decides to start his own company to take humans back to space and solve the mystery.
The story was created by Lockheed Martin aerospace engineer John Connelly and Matthew Medney, chief executive of Heavy Metal Entertainment and is Connelly’s first writing endeavor.
“When Matt shared and asked me to be a part of the ‘Beyond Kuiper’ universe, I dove in and was awed by the breath of the world Matt and John had created,” Sprouse told TheWrap. “Odian Spek is the hero of his story and a fierce leader with an iron will. He is the type of antagonist that builds vast sci-fi worlds and grows a relatable fan base.”
Sprouse added that the story of “Beyond Kuiper” is basically “a space opera with the world-building of ‘Warhammer and science worthy of Carl Sagan” — the award-winning cosmologist and astronomer who helped to popularize the science education genre on television with his PBS documentary series “Cosmos” in 1980.
“When I first read (the script), I was pulled into one of the most well planned creative universes I have ever seen, so when Matt asked me to voice Tordok I jumped at the idea,” Romero said in a statement. “Breathing life into a sci-fi character like him, was such a fun experience and I hope listeners will love the massive experience.”
“Beyond Kuiper” will be scored by Medney and Kyle Perrin, who also narrates and handles sound design. Medney is no stranger to the sci-fi realm; he’s been creating custom comic books for musicians and celebrities through his company Herø Projects since 2015. He has also worked with artists the likes of reggae star Shaggy and rapper A$AP Ferg, who ordered a comic based on a music video he released last March.
You can listen to an audio trailer for “Beyond Kuiper” and check out some of the upcoming novel’s original artwork above.
And here’s a first listen of Sprouse voicing his character in the story: