For Alien Day 2016, 20th Century Fox, Audible and Dirk Maggs treated us to an audio drama adaptation of Tim Lebbon’s Alien: Out of the Shadows. We absolutely loved it. With Alien Day 2017 fast approaching, it looks like Maggs and Audible are back with another adaptation of one of Titan Book’s other Alien novels, River of Pain!

“Ellen Ripley finally returns to Earth, only to discover that LV-426 – resting place of the Nostromo and the xenomorph she first encountered – has been renamed Acheron.

Protected by Colonial Marines, the colonists seek to terraform the storm-swept planet against all the odds. But in the face of brutal living conditions and the daily struggles of a new world, there is humanity and hope. Anne and Russell Jorden – two colonists who are seeking a fortune that eluded them on Earth – are expecting their first born child.

The birth of Rebecca Jorden, known to her family as ‘Newt’, is a cause for celebration. But as the colony grows and expands, so too do the political struggles between a small detachment of Colonial Marines and the Weyland-Yutani scientists posted on Acheron. Willing to overlook their orders in order to serve the Company’s interests, these scientists have another far more sinister agenda – to covertly capture a living Alien.

The wildcatters discover a vast, decaying spaceship. The horseshoe-shaped vessel is of particular interest to Weyland-Yutani, and may be the answer to their dreams. But what Anne and Russell find on board proves to be the stuff, not of dreams, but of nightmares.

Starring Anna Friel and Philip Glenister, this terrifying, cinematic, multi-cast dramatization – adapted from the original novel and directed by the multi-award winning Dirk Maggs, best-known for his adaptations of Douglas Adams’ Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy and Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere for the BBC – is the sequel to Audible Original’s Alien: Out Of The Shadows (nominated for Best Audio Drama at the 2017 Audies).”

As with Out of the Shadows, River of Pain returns with Alien alumni in the way of William Hope (Aliens’ Lt. Gorman, Alien: Isolation’s Waits, Alien vs. Predator (2010)’s Groves and if we’re really going all the way, Aliens vs. Predator 2’s Predator vocals) and Colin Salmon (Alien vs. Predator’s Maxwell Stafford). Hope will likely be reprising his role as Gorman.

Also lending their talents to the Alien: River of Pain audio drama are Alexander Siddig and Anna Friel, both of which are no strangers to science fiction. Siddig is well known for portraying Julian Bashir on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Friel appeared as one of the leads in the short lived Pushing Daisies.

Digital Spy has some quotes from Siddig about his time on River of Pain and confirms that he will be playing Doctor Reese. IndieWire also has a short preview clip.

You can head on over to the Audible website and pre-order the Alien: River of Pain audio drama. You can also read our review of the original novel here.

Thanks to ScifiBulletin for the news. Keep a close eye on Alien vs. Predator Galaxy for the latest Alien and Predator merchandise news! You can follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to get the latest on your social media walls. You can also join in with fellow Alien and Predator fans on our forums!