Boots Riley Announces He's Developing New TV Series 'I'm A Virgo' Starring Jharrel Jerome

Boots Riley has announced he's developing a new TV series, 'I'm a Virgo,' about a "13 ft. tall black man who lives in Oakland." Jharrel Jerome is set to star.

Boots Riley
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Image via GettyDia Dipasupil

Boots Riley

Boots Riley has a new project in the works, as relayed by himself on Monday via his own Twitter account.

The director/writer/rapper said that he's currently developing a new series entitled I'm A Virgo. The show will star Jharrel Jerome of Moonlight and When They See Us fame, and will be about a "13 ft. tall Black man who lives in Oakland." As per Riley's tweet, a network or streamer is yet to be determined which may indicate a bidding war, or at least the hope that a bidding war could eventually take place. Riley addded that this series will be "dark, absurd, hilarious, and important":

I have a show
about a 13-ft tall Black man who lives in Oakland.

It’s called I’m A Virgo.

Jharrel Jerome is playing the lead.

I’m doing this w Michael Ellenberg’s Media Res. We haven’t decided on the network/streamer.

It’ll be dark, absurd, hilarious, and important. pic.twitter.com/pzOGDxMaaO

— Boots Riley (@BootsRiley) June 22, 2020

This new project comes after Riley scored himself some serious critical acclaim with 2018's Sorry to Bother You. That film starred Lakeith Stanfield, and followed the story of a floundering telemarketer who rises through the career ranks after he starts using a "white voice" to talk to customers. There's a lot more to it, thematically and plot-wise, but there's no point in giving away too much because the only way you care about this paragraph is if you've either seen it, or have interest in seeing it. 

As for Jerome, he won an Emmy last year for his portrayal of Korey Wise in When They See Us. Variety reports that his next big project will see him star alongside Idris Elba in Concrete Cowboys.

Additionally, as alluded to in Riley's tweet, I'm A Virgo is being done along with Michael Ellenberg's Media Res. That studio previously backed Apple's The Morning Show, and also logged work on the yet-to-be-released drama Pachinko, based on the 2017 novel of the same name.

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