There’s no denying Boots Riley is one of the most interesting up-and-coming filmmakers working today. It almost sounds odd to call him up-and-coming considering he has already established himself quite prominently in the music business. But in terms of film and TV, he’s only written and directed “Sorry to Bother You,” but that is a film that arrived like an explosion blowing away audiences with its biting satire and incredible style. Now, five years later, Riley has returned with a TV series, “I’m a Virgo.”
And though “I’m a Virgo” might not have the most enticing title of all time, the trailer for the series definitely shows that Riley’s ambition has only grown since his first directorial gig. This time, he’s out to tell the story of a young boy who is a lot bigger than every other human. Like, a lot bigger. And as a teenager, he finally leaves the confines of his house, where his parents have been hiding him so that he can explore the greater world. It’s basically the coming-of-age tale of a giant, through the lens of Boots Riley.
The series stars Jharrel Jerome, Brett Gray, Kara Young, Allius Barnes, Olivia Washington, Mike Epps, and Carmen Ejogo. As mentioned, the series is written and directed by Riley, who is joined by Tze Chun as co-showrunners.
“I’m a Virgo” will eventually land on Prime Video, but no date has been given. Until then, you can check it out when it premieres at this year’s SXSW. You can watch the trailer below.
Here’s the synopsis:
I’m a Virgo is a fantastical coming-of-age joyride about Cootie, a 13-foot tall young Black man in Oakland, California. To keep Cootie safe from a hostile world, his adoptive parents have hidden him from the world, never allowing him to leave their home. When Cootie finally ventures outside, he experiences the beauties and contradictions of our society for the very first time. The series is a mythic examination of what happens when the oppressed finally rise up – and asks why we are so often asked to identify with the oppressors in our stories, rather than the true heroes we often overlook.