Audio Dramas Coming in 2026
A new year is here. Welcome to 2026! It's a year full of new possibilities, experiences, and ... audio drama! Last year was jam-packed w...
Welcome to Hope Springs
If you've been wondering when a new audio drama made by Paul McCusker would see the light of day, you don't have to wait long! A new audio drama series called Welcome to Hope Springs premieres this month, and the first season of the show starts its rollout on podcast platforms on January 12. This series was written and directed by Paul McCusker. Some other familiar names in the crew are Nate Jones, Jared DePasquale, and Dominic Treis. (Hear our interview with Paul about this show in ATC223.)
Eternal Future Productions
After much delay, the long-awaited historical drama Resurgence is almost here. This stand-alone story will be released sometime this month.
A new episode from Chester and Ralphie called "Leverage Lament" is on the horizon. Frank Ulle will be composing music, with Jonathan Winstead doing sound design. No word on when it will be released, but it will likely be in the first half of 2026.
New episodes of Venture are planned to be released this year. As for release dates, that's still to be determined.
Lamplighter Theatre
After years of teases and delays, listeners will finally get to hear a stand-alone audio drama about Finnian Jones. Since the beginning of the series, Finnian's story has just been in the bookend segments. That will change when The Rescue of Finnian Jones releases. This story will give listeners a deeper look at his family life and history, with an exciting adventure as well. No release date has been announced, but is expected to release sometime in 2026.
HeartMatters
Four new audio dramas are coming from HeartMatters in 2026. The first one is set for release in March. Entitled "Subscribe to the Shepherd," this follow-up to "A Pig Tale" and "Red's Fall at Grand Mall" will give the classic fairy tale of The Boy Who Cried Wolf a comedic twist. This will be followed by a multi-part contemporary drama, an epic fantasy story, and the first installment of a sketch comedy show. Look for these in the next three quarters of 2026.
First Acts Audio Productions
Formerly known as First Acts Productions, Glenn Hascall's production company will have several projects released this year.
Range Drifters will see its second season released this year. The first episode, "The Takeover," is already available. On the first day of the next 5 months, a new episode will be released. A Christmas special for the series will be released on December 1.
The universe of Range Drifters will be expanding this summer. Starting in July 1, the first of a 3-episode spinoff called Dapper McBleat will be released. It's entitled "A Meadow by Any Other Name." The next two episodes will be released on the first of August and September, respectively.
Time to Listen, a micro audio drama series that launched in 2025, will be coming to an end this year. Seven episodes will be released in March, with the final five episodes releasing in the fall.
Dragnet: Biblical Investigations will return with two new episodes in the fall. Job Thursday will have a new partner for the police investigations. "Shipwreck, Snake Bit, Plus the Utter Rejection of the Letter D" will be released on October 1st. "Baffled, Belligerent and Babbling" will follow on November 1st.
A standalone Christmas story, a rom-com, called Oh So Merry Manuscript will be the last release for 2026. That comes out on November 26th.
Jake Muller Adventures
The fourth volume of the Jake Muller Adventures is coming this year! Engineered is the first international story in the series and one that will push the ongoing story arc into new areas. This album is set for an early 2026 release.
Adventures in Odyssey
It's going to be a year of changes for the long-running series from Focus on the Family. Along with a new logo and artwork, all new episodes going forward will be exclusive to the AIO Club with no CD/digital download/radio releases. Album 81's title is being voted on by fans, but it will start releasing later this month, starting on January 15. 1-2 episodes will be released per month in 2026. The first episode is entitled "Knox on Money."
Which productions are you most excited to hear this year! Let us know in the comments. Happy New Year!
Austin Peachey is an audio drama fan through and through. A dedicated listener and critic of the medium, he also has produced several productions over the years. Austin is a member of the Audio Drama Alliance and currently holds the position of Audio Content Producer at HeartMatters. Austin enjoys being a guest contributor to Audio Theatre Central on the podcast and blog.
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