Why it's trending
The casting of Jeff Hays, the beloved audiobook narrator, as Princess Donut was announced at Comic-Con, generating excitement among fans of the LitRPG series. The news spread quickly due to the series' large audiobook following (over 140 million listening hours) and the unique choice to have the narrator voice a key character.
Jeff Hays, the narrator and producer of the 'Dungeon Crawler Carl' audiobook series, has been cast as the voice of Princess Donut in Peacock's live-action adaptation. The announcement was made Thursday at Comic-Con, with Hays joining creator Matt Dinniman and writer/executive producer Matt Yost on stage, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The series, which received a straight-to-series order in June 2026, comes from Universal Global Television and Seth MacFarlane's Fuzzy Door Productions. Yost is executive producing with MacFarlane, Erica Huggins, and Rachel Hargreaves-Heald, while Dinniman serves as co-executive producer, per Variety and The Hollywood Reporter.
Princess Donut is a cat belonging to Carl's ex-girlfriend who gains the ability to speak after humanity is forced into a survival game show by aliens. The character is described as a 'stuck-up, self-centered, tiara-wearing talking cat' and a 'Queen Anne Chonk.' Hays' casting marks the first announced actor for the series.
The 'Dungeon Crawler Carl' audiobooks have amassed over 140 million listening hours on Audible, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Hays' involvement as the voice of Princess Donut bridges the audiobook experience with the TV adaptation, likely appealing to the existing fanbase.
Timeline
- Peacock Orders 'Dungeon Crawler Carl' Series
Peacock placed a series order for the live-action adaptation from Universal Global Television and Seth MacFarlane's Fuzzy Door Productions, per The Hollywood Reporter.
- Jeff Hays Cast as Princess Donut
Jeff Hays, narrator of the audiobook series, was announced as the voice of Princess Donut during a panel at Comic-Con, with Dinniman and Yost present, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter and Variety.
Questions people ask
Who is Jeff Hays?
Jeff Hays is the narrator and producer of all eight 'Dungeon Crawler Carl' audiobooks, which have over 140 million listening hours on Audible, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
What is Princess Donut?
Princess Donut is a cat who gains the ability to speak after humanity is forced into an alien game show. She is described as a 'stuck-up, self-centered, tiara-wearing talking cat' and a 'Queen Anne Chonk,' per The Hollywood Reporter.
When will the series premiere?
No premiere date has been announced. The series was ordered in June 2026 and is in development.
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