Bel-Air reimagined

'Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air' Dramatic Reboot In The Works With Will Smith

Will Smith is on board to produce a dramatic reboot of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. The project, based on a fan-made trailer from 2019, is currently being shopped to multiple big streamers. Here's what we know so far about the reimagining of the popular '90s sitcom.

"I got in one little fight and my mom got scared..."

Everything you knew about The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air will take on new meaning when the classic sitcom is rebooted as a dark drama. Netflix, Peacock, and HBO Max are among the streamers bidding on the drama series, titled Bel-Air, which has origins as a fan-made trailer shot by Morgan Cooper in 2019.

Fresh Prince of Bel-Air drama reboot in the works

Per a new THR report, the reboot has been in development for around a year, dating back to when Cooper's "BEL-AIR" trailer went viral in March 2019. The gritty, reconsidered take on the comedy caught the attention of Will Smith, who is on as a producer on the new production. The original trailer is viewable below.

Cooper will reportedly co-write, direct, and co-executive produce Bel-Air. Joining Smith, who portrayed a fictionalized version of himself on the '90s show, are several producers of the original series and its creators Andy and Susan Borowitz.

Fresh Prince of Bel-Air reboot cast?

Details on the cast of Bel-Air aren't yet known, but it doesn't appear as though Smith will reprise his main role in the reboot. If the series closely follows Cooper's trailer concept, it would restart Fresh Prince from its beginning rather than act as a sequel with Smith returning over two decades later.

According to THR, the new series is described as a "dramatic retelling of the beloved '90s sitcom that leans into the original premise of 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 of what it means to be a Black man in America today, while still delivering the swagger and fun nods to the original show."

The original series also featured main cast members Alfonso Ribeiro, Karyn Parsons, Tatyana M. Ali, Joseph Marcell, the late James Avery, and Janet Hubert-Whitten and Daphne Maxwell Reid (who shared the role of "Vivian Banks").

Regardless of Smith's on-screen participation, fans are already intrigued by the drama approach which takes seriously Fresh Prince's social implications. The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air aired for six seasons on NBC from 1990 to 1996.