Jeff Hays Voices Princess Donut in Peacock’s “Dungeon Crawler Carl” Adaptation

During the recent Penguin Random House “Spotlight on Matt Dinniman” panel at San Diego Comic-Con, Peacock confirmed that the live-action adaptation of Dinniman’s LitRPG novels will feature Jeff Hays—narrator of all eight released “Dungeon Crawler Carl” audiobooks—as the voice of Princess Donut, the tiara-wearing talking cat who partners with Carl in the televised survival game. The casting marks the first talent reveal since the show was ordered to series at Peacock last month.

Variety Magazine

The series will be written and run by Chris Yost, who will also serve as executive producer alongside Seth MacFarlane, Erica Huggins, and Rachel Hargreaves-Heald of Fuzzy Door. Matt Dinniman, author of the source material, joins as co-executive producer. The adaptation is produced by Universal Global Television. The official logline describes an alien invasion that forces humanity into a sadistic intergalactic game show, with Carl and Princess Donut battling monsters, an insane AI, and other survivors for “good TV.”

Variety Magazine

Dinniman’s “Dungeon Crawler Carl” series—currently eight books of a planned ten—has sold more than 14 million copies across all formats. On Audible, the Hays-narrated audiobooks have accumulated over 140 million listening hours. Hays is represented by Matthew N. Sugarman at Weintraub Tobin.

Variety Magazine

The high sales figures and extensive audiobook consumption indicate strong fan interest, positioning the Peacock series as a significant mainstream entry for LitRPG storytelling. By pairing a well-known audiobook narrator with a high-profile production team, the adaptation aims to translate the genre’s interactive, game-like narrative into a conventional television format, potentially expanding its audience beyond existing readers and listeners.

Variety Magazine