A new teaser for Donald Glover’s upcoming seriesSwarmhas given prospective viewers a peek at what’s in store for the first season - as well as a release date. Initially announced in February 2021,Swarmwill star Dominique Fishback as Dre, Chloe Bailey as Dre’s sister Marissa, and Damson Idris as Dre’s boyfriend.
Debuting on March 17th on Amazon Prime Video,Swarmfollows Dre, a young woman whose obsession with a fictional pop start takes a dark turn. Created by Donald Glover and Janine Nabers, the premise of the show was inspired by Beyoncé's fandom, which is often referred to as “The Bey Hive”. Glover made his directorial debut onthe FX showAtlanta, which he also produces, writes, and stars in. He will be continuing his directorial work withSwarm, in which he’ll be directing the first episode. While Glover’s diverse background spans music, television, and film, Nabers' background is more uniform, primarily consisting of playwriting and television writing - including the second episode ofAtlanta’s third season, “Here Comes Sinterklaas”.
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The teaser prominently features Fishback’s Dre, who can be heard asking “Who’s your favorite artist?” repeatedly throughout the teaser, the question taking on a more intense tone as the teaser progresses. Her question is accompanied by a constant insect-like buzz and the occasional notification sound. While most of the shots are quick and vaguely ominous, two shots hint at the twisted events that are in store. In the first of these shots, Dre’s boyfriend can be seen crawling on the floor - possibly injured - while a nearly-hidden Dre follows with an axe in hand. The second shows Dre dancing while mopping up a pool of what appears to blood. Other ominous shots include one of a strange mark being revealed on woman’s shoulder and one of Fishback staring at something or someone offscreen, a lone tear rolling down her cheek.
For fans ofAtlanta, this kind of unsettling atmosphere is no surprise. A showknown to dip into surrealism,Atlantahas offered a glimpse of Glover’s biting and darkly humorous storytelling style. If the teaser is anything to go by,Swarmhas given Glover room to fully explore the style he developed inAtlanta.
While details about the show are scarce, the teaser hints at a mix of drama and comedy that isreminiscent of contemporary horror trends. The image of Dre stalking her boyfriend with an axe in broad daylight brings images ofScream QueensandGet Outto mind, while the darker shots lit mostly in neon evokeMandyandmore recent seasons ofAmerica Horror Story. Even the stylization of the title - spelled out in flowers over a shot of two people being pursued by a car - seems to take inspiration from folk horror movies likeMidsommarandThe Wicker Man. Just how horrific the show will be is still anyone’s guess, but the teaser certainly promises to explore the darker corners of fandom culture.
The first season ofSwarmpremieres on March 17th, 2023 on Amazon Prime Video.
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