Dan Aykroyd was supposed to release his debut novel, Soulhider, today, October 27, 2026. But fans will have to wait a little longer to read this extraterrestrial thriller from the creator of Ghostbusters and The Blues Brothers. The SNL icon postponed his book’s release until May 18, 2027, following emergency foot surgery to treat an infection.
Aykroyd explained the delay in a social media post back on September 11, revealing that he underwent surgery two weeks earlier, and would not have enough recovery time to tour in October. He wants to meet readers in person to promote the book, so he decided to push back the release rather than miss the opportunity.
“I want to get out there because I am proud of it,” Aykroyd wrote. “So we have postponed the release until May 18 when I expect to be fully healed.”
The novel draws on a subject Aykroyd has discussed publicly for years: extraterrestrial life. Soulhider imagines what might happen if an ordinary person were forced into the service of a powerful being from another world or dimension.
“What if a real, extra-terrestrial/dimensional powerful being approached you and against your will recruited you to act as their agent on earth?” Aykroyd asked. “They threaten your family. There’s no running. You must do what they say. This is what Soulhider is about,” he continued. “How the average guy might handle a prolonged interaction with these superbeings.”
Aykroyd has been open about his own belief in UFOs and alien life, and he tied that interest directly to the story behind his book. In the same post, he pointed to recent Pentagon releases of UFO and unidentified anomalous phenomena footage as another reason he was eager to share the novel with readers.
“I am not alone in believing aliens are real and there are multiple species with multiple machines,” he wrote. “I’ve personally seen two ships.”
Those are Aykroyd’s personal claims and beliefs, but they help explain why an extraterrestrial thriller would be a natural fit for his first novel. He has also promised that more revelations about the subject are coming, writing that they will be “verifying we are far from being alone.”
There is another reason fans can look forward to the release. Aykroyd recorded the audiobook himself, although he admitted he was initially hesitant to take on the narration.
“There are probably better actors but I did it and was happy with the results,” he said. He even had a specific audience in mind for the finished recording, describing it as “Perfect for long, lonely drives at night.”
The postponement also affects readers who had already purchased tickets for Aykroyd’s planned autumn appearances. He expressed regret that he would not be able to meet those fans as scheduled, but hopes to make up for the missed dates in the spring.
For now, Soulhider remains on hold while Aykroyd recovers. The wait is longer than he intended, but the new release date gives him time to heal and hopefully get out on the road to discuss a story built around one of his longtime fascinations.
