Some of you may want to sit down for this one. Peacock just delivered the first trailer for Bel-Air, an upcoming reimagining of the beloved 90s sitcom, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. The imminent reboot will controversially depart from the half-hour sitcom structure and gain new life in the form of a full-hour drama, the new teaser already sets the more serious tone for the reimagining.
Bel-Air Teaser
There’s no “Fresh Prince” in the title, but there is a fresh face. The teaser reveals to us, Jabari Banks as the new Will, a young man who gets into trouble with criminal gangs and moves to live with his uncle, Phil, in Bel-Air to gain some much-needed guidance and discipline. In the teaser trailer, Banks falls into a pool, and all around him, there are various objects that are essential to his story: basketballs, trophies, and ATVs. Banks finally sinks to a golden throne while a crown falls onto his head, alluding to his new life in Bel-Air. Banks is also wearing Jordans as a homage to Will Smith’s sneakers in the original series.
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While Banks floats in the pool, the original Fresh Prince, Will Smith, poetically narrates the lyrics of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’s opening theme. With each verse, Banks sinks deeper and deeper, emphasizing how the reboot will take a more dramatic approach, as opposed to its predecessor’s comedic approach.
Why Is This Happening?
Believe it or not, the new take on the Fresh Prince is based on Morgan Cooper’s viral fan film more than the original show. The fan film became a viral hit soon after its release, attracting Will Smith’s attention, and serving as a catalyst for the production of this contemporary reimagining. Morgan Cooper is executive producing the reimagining alongside showrunners T.J. Brady and Rasheed Newson. Smith is also executive producing, along with original series creators Andy and Susan Borowitz, and original series producers Quincy Jones and Benny Medina. Additional executive producers include Terence Carter, James Lassiter, Miguel Melendez, and Malcolm Spellman.
Here’s what Cooper had to say about the show:
“With this dramatic reimagining, we wanted to create a show that stands on its own while honoring the spirit and innovation of the original series. Because Bel-Air is a drama, we’re able to really peel back the layers of these characters and themes in a way that you simply couldn’t do 30 years ago in the half-hour sitcom format. We’re able to go have tough conversations that challenge perspectives.”
Bel-Air’s Cast
Bel-Air’s cast comprises Adrian Holmes (At That Age, V Wars) as Phillip Banks, Cassandra Freeman (The Enemy Within, Atlanta) as Vivian Banks, Olly Sholotan (Run Hide Fight, Evolution of Nate Gibson) as Carlton Banks, Coco Jones (Let it Shine, Vampires vs. The Bronx) as Hilary Banks, Akira Akbar (We Can Be Heroes, Captain Marvel) as Ashley Banks, Jimmy Akingbola (Most Dangerous Game, In The Long Run) as Geoffrey, Jordan L. Jones (Rel, Snowfall) as Jazz, and Simone Joy Jones (The Chair, What If) as Lisa.
Set in modern-day America, Bel-Air is a serialized one-hour dramatic analogue of the 90’s sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air that leans into the original premise: Will’s complicated journey from the streets of West Philadelphia to the gated mansions of Bel-Air. With a reimagined vision, Bel-Air will dive deeper into the inherent conflicts, emotions and biases that were impossible to fully explore in a 30-minute sitcom format, while still delivering swagger and nods to the original show.
Bel-Air will come exclusively to Peacock at some point in 2022. The series has already been renewed for a second season even before its premiere.
Are you looking forward to Bel-Air, or would you rather see reruns of Fresh Prince of Bel-Air? I personally prefer the latter. What about you? Let us know in the comments. If you like what you’ve read, there’s more where that came from. Subscribe to the newsletter down below or follow Moriviews on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook so you don’t miss anything. Thank you for reading, and happy Moriviewing.
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Source: Collider