We all know the story about how Will Smith’s life got flipped-turned upside down… or, do we? Today, Peacock has shared the first trailer for Bel-Air, a forthcoming dramatic reimagining of the beloved ’90s sitcom, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
While the original series — loosely based on Smith’s own upbringing in West Philadelphia — poked fun at the fish-out-of-water adventures of a working-class teen assimilating to a wealthy suburb of Los Angeles, Bel-Air aims to dive deeper into the inherent conflicts and biases of such an upheaval. It’s slated to arrive sometime in 2022.
With Smith himself executive producing, Bel-Air stars rookie Jabari Banks as Bel-Air’s new Fresh Prince. While there are plenty of nods to the original show, which aired from 1990 to 1996, this reimagining is meant to stand on its own, honoring its predecessor while offering a deeper analysis on the Black experience in America. Banks’ voiceover in the trailer consists of some very familiar lines, but it’s clear that Bel-Air takes an entirely different approach to the concept. Watch the teaser below.
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“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,” director Morgan Cooper said in a statement. “We’re able to go have tough conversations that challenge perspectives. At its core, Bel-Air is a celebration of the Black experience through the perspective of a family.”
Last Thanksgiving, HBO Max premiered The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Reunion, an unscripted special that featured most of the original series regulars. News of Bel-Air first broke last year, with Smith signing on to the project after a spoof trailer made by Cooper went viral in 2019. Bel-Air has been confirmed for two seasons, though its exact premiere date is still TBA.
