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Will Smith Says ‘Fresh Prince’ Reboot Will Happen When Hell Freezes Over

By Niki Cruz
Published on: 04:08 PST, Aug 2, 2016

Will Smith is not here for a Fresh Prince reboot. It’s not a ton to ask, considering the amount of 80s and 90s sitcoms that are being rebooted with original casts these days, but Smith has no interest in bringing back The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

During a recent interview to promote his latest flick, Suicide Squad, Will Smith made it clear that he wouldn’t return to The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air for a rebooted series. According to E!, Smith told them on the red carpet of the Suicide Squad premiere that the finale, which aired 20 years ago, would stay in the past.

“I don’t think ever, like pretty close to when hell freezes over. Like, we’re going to leave that one alone.”

This isn’t the first time we’re hearing about the rumors of a possible reboot. Last year, there were rumors that Smith was set to return to the characters that made him a bonafide star, and eased his transition as a blockbuster hero. As it turns out, the rumors were false, but Entertainment Weekly reported that Smith’s production company was looking to start a family sitcom with similarities to the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

Even if Will Smith was open for a reboot of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, the reboot would have a huge hole in it, as the actor who played Banks’ patriarch, Uncle Phil, James Avery, passed away at the age of 68 in 2013. Due to his role being pivotal to the character Will’s development into young adulthood, it would be ludicrous to see the show rebooted without Uncle Phil.

Despite Smith’s feelings on a possible reboot, he has gone back to his roots. As the Inquisitr reported, Smith has made appearance with his DJ Jazzy Jeff, who played his goofy best friend Jazz on the show.

In addition, Smith revealed during the U.K. show Fiesta that he was returning to the rap game with Jazzy Jeff, who he hasn’t collaborated with musically since their 1993 LP, Code Red.

“We’ve recorded about 25 songs and have four or five I actually like. Jeff and I will be back here [in the U.K.] this summer to do shows, real shows.”

That was back in January, and it looks like due to Smith’s schedule with Suicide Squad, it was put on hold, but fans are still holding out for new music from Smith and Jazzy Jeff. Despite his busy schedule, Will seemed excited to return to the rap game, saying, “I’m terrified. I’m really ready, man, I got a whole lotta heart to share and I’m excited about getting it into my music.”

While it appears that Smith ditched his roots once he became a huge cinema superstar, the actor admitted that most know him as the Fresh Prince, a moniker that started his rap career and carried into his acting career.

When he was on The Graham Norton Show back in 2012, the actor said, “Every country in the world, that is the thing I am most known for. No matter how big the movies get, it’s Fresh Prince everywhere.”

Fresh Prince co-star Janet Hubert, who was replaced as Aunt Viv in the series after rumors that she didn’t get along with Smith, probably wouldn’t be too pleased with a reboot. Hubert has always spoken out against Smith, at times pointing to his bad behavior as a sign of their rift. Hubert took Smith and his wife up to task when they decided to boycott this year’s Oscars.

In an interview with BBC Radio, Smith kept his cool when asked about Hubert, whose comments went viral.

“I think she’s brilliant, you know. I think as an artist, there’s so many things that she does. She sings, she dances, she’s like a really powerful artist. So I loved what she brought to The Fresh Prince.”

[Photo by AP Photo/Julie Markes]

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