The world of fandom can be a terrifying place (just ask anyone who’s ever incurred the Twitter wrath of the Swifties, Little Monsters or BTS’ Army) – even more so when that obsession turns bloody. Swarm, the upcoming series from Donald Glover and Watchmen writer Janine Nabers promises a deep and disturbing dive into the world of ‘Murder. Sex. Music’, and will premiere on Amazon Prime on March 17.
The series stars Dominique Fishback (Judas and the Black Messiah) as ‘a young woman who is obsessed with a fictional pop star (whose oeuvre and aesthetic are very similar to Beyoncé’s). The show is a dive into Dre’s life, her fandom, and how it takes her to dark, unexpected places.’
Glover, most famously known for his work on Community, Atlanta and of course as his musical alter ego Childish Gambino, has described Swarm as a “…post-truth Piano Teacher mixed with The King of Comedy” referencing works by auteurs Michael Haneke and Martin Scorsese which both explore the dark side of obsession and the pursuit of stardom.
Alongside Fishback, Swarm also stars actress and Chloe x Halle singer Chloe Bailey as Dre’s sister, Marissa, and Snowfall star Damson Idris as Dre’s boyfriend.
According to Vanity Fair, Nabers and Glover were ‘really interested in creating an antihero story […] through the lens of a Black, modern-day woman’, taking inspiration from classic TV antiheroes like Mad Men’s Don Draper or The Sopranos’ Tony Soprano to create the disturbed Dre.
Glover directed the pilot, while show runner Nabers has written four episodes. Malia Obama is also in the writer’s room, with Glover referring to the former President’s daughter as ‘an amazingly talented person.’
Glover has dabbled in horror before (just look at the ‘Teddy Perkins’ episode of Atlanta) being at the forefront of a new wave of Afro-surrealism, but Swarm will be the first full horror project with him behind the camera. From this brief but creepy trailer, it looks like the Swarm is one fanbase you want to avoid getting stung by:
