Peacock has released the first trailer for Bel-Air, its highly-anticipated reimagining of the iconic 90s sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. The upcoming reboot will leave the short-comedy format in favor of a full-hour drama, and the new teaser already sets the more serious tone for the reimagining.
The trailer shows us Jabari Banks as the new Will, a young man who gets into trouble with criminal gangs and moves with his uncles in Bel-Air to rebuild his life. In the trailer, Banks falls into a pool, and all around him, we see the objects that are part of his story: basketballs, trophies, and ATVs. Banks finally sinks to a golden throne while a crown falls into his head, alluding to his new life in Bel-Air. Banks is also wearing Jordans as an homage to Will Smith’s sneakers in the original series.
While Banks floats in the pool, we can hear Smith narrating the lyrics of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’s opening song. Each verse has new weight, underlining how the reboot will lean heavily on the drama of moving away and rebuilding your life instead of the comedic aspect of the situation.
The upcoming series is based on Morgan Cooper’s viral fan film Bel-Air, released in 2019 as a reimagining of the original sitcom. The video went viral soon after its release, leading to the production of the reboot series. Cooper is executive producing Bel-Air 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.
Talking about the upcoming show, Bardy and Newson said:
“At its heart, Bel-Air is a coming-of-age story that celebrates the strength and love of the Black family. We have stayed true to the original premise of the legacy series - Will’s life is turned upside down after he is forced to leave West Philly and lands in Bel-Air with its gated mansions and wealth, however, our new series brings Will and the Banks family into the world as we know it now.”
Cooper also added:
“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 also includes 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.
Bel-Air will come exclusively to Peacock sometime in 2022. The series has already been renewed for a second season even before its premiere. Check out the new trailer below.
Here’s Bel-Air's official synopsis:
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.