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'Dungeon Crawler Carl' brings back fan-favorite audiobook narrator for Peacock series

A beloved voice from the 'Dungeon Crawler Carl' audiobooks is making the jump to Peacock's live-action adaptation.

Peacock has made its first major casting announcement for 'Dungeon Crawler Carl,' and longtime audiobook fans already know the newest addition well. Jeff Hays, the narrator and producer of the 'Dungeon Crawler Carl' audiobooks, will voice Princess Donut in the upcoming live-action adaptation. The casting keeps one of the franchise's most recognizable voices attached as the popular fantasy adventure makes its television debut. This story is based on reporting first published by The Hollywood Reporter. Throughout the series, he performs every character, including Princess Donut. After an alien invasion throws humanity into chaos, Princess Donut gains the ability to speak and becomes Carl's survival partner. The pair's partnership is one of the franchise's defining elements.

The casting announcement was made during Penguin Random House's "Spotlight on Matt Dinniman" panel at San Diego Comic-Con. Hays appeared on stage alongside author Matt Dinniman and series writer and executive producer Matt Yost to reveal the news. His casting marks a direct connection between the television adaptation and the audiobook series. Peacock officially ordered the series in June through Universal Global Television and Seth MacFarlane's Fuzzy Door Productions. Yost leads the adaptation as writer and executive producer, while MacFarlane, Erica Huggins, and Rachel Hargreaves-Heald serve as executive producers, while Matt Dinniman is a co-executive producer. The series adapts Dinniman's bestselling novels into a live-action television event.

The story follows Carl, a Coast Guard veteran, who is forced into a deadly intergalactic game show after aliens destroy most of humanity. He enters the brutal competition alongside Princess Donut, whose outspoken personality often contrasts with Carl's. Together, they battle monsters, aliens, dangerous artificial intelligence, and even fellow survivors in a televised intergalactic game show. The series blends elements of fantasy, action, and dark humor throughout its story. The franchise had already built an impressive audience long before reaching television. According to the producers, the ‘Dungeon Crawler Carl’ audiobooks have accumulated more than 140 million listening hours on Audible. Hays' energetic narration has played a major role in that success, making him the first confirmed cast member for the television adaptation. His casting maintains a direct connection between the television series and the audiobooks.