The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air sitcom gets edgy remake
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Still from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air trailer starring Olly Sholotan (left) as Carlton and newcomer Jabari Banks as Will.
PHOTO: SCREENGRAB FROM WILL SMITH/YOUTUBE
LOS ANGELES - Comedy series The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air, which ran from 1990 to 1996, made Will Smith a star. More than three decades since its debut, a remake titled simply Bel-Air is looking to turn the classic sitcom into a gritty drama.
Smith, 53, shared a trailer for the reboot on his YouTube channel. He said: "3 years ago, my guy Morgan Cooper uploaded his fan trailer to YouTube, showing how he envisioned the Fresh Prince as a drama. Now, here is the first full look at his retelling of the story that's always been so close to my heart."
The fan film written and directed by Morgan Cooper, and posted in March 2019, went viral for its dark vision. It has more than 7 million views and caught the attention of Smith. He and Cooper are credited as executive producers on the new series.
The story starts in the same way: Will Smith, a young boy from West Philadelphia, "gets into one little fight" and is shipped off to his aunt's family in Los Angeles.
But while the original show had a comedic take on the culture clash between Will and his wealthier relatives, the remake will "dive deeper into the inherent conflicts, emotions and biases of what it means to be a black man in America today", reported entertainment publication Deadline.
In the trailer, which is set to moody music and lighting, Will's Uncle Phil is heard asking Aunt Viv: "Why (are) we working so hard to save a boy who doesn't want to be saved?" Another character tells Will that Los Angeles "will try to make you forget who you are and where you came from".
Newcomer Jabari Banks will play the Fresh Prince and the series will debut on the Peacock streaming service in the United States on Feb 13.
