Will Smith has confirmed that a dramatic reboot inspired by The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air has been ordered by Peacock.
In a video posted to YouTube, the 51-year-old actor revealed that the dramatic reimagining of his 1990s comedy series — based on a viral 2019 trailer created by Fresh Prince superfan Morgan Cooper — scored a major deal with the newly-launched streaming site just from a pitch.
“We have just officially closed the deal with Peacock with an unprecedented two-season-order from a pitch,” Smith announced. “I’ve been in this business for 30 years and that does not happen. They ordered two full seasons of BEL-AIR based on the quality of the pitch.”
Cooper will be a writer, director, and executive producer on the new series, while Chris Collins will serve as showrunner on Westbrook Studios drama.
BEL-AIR will be a one-hour drama set in modern times as Smith’s Philadelphia-born character’s move to his wealthy family’s gated Bel-Air mansion takes on a darker tone. The actor said the extended air time will allow for another “layer” to dramatic versions of past episodes from the sitcom.
In the comments section to the announcement, which can be seen in full below, nostalgic fans pitched their own ideas for the new show.
“So…will we get the Carlton dance? That is the real question,” one fan asked.
“Counting seconds to see this,” another added. “Just ONE thing: please, DO NOT try to redo the ‘ father’ scene! Leave it in its perfection as it is.”
“Ok but we need a Stan Lee type of cameo from you at least,” a third fan wrote to Smith.
Cooper’s viral trailer that originally reimagined the NBC sitcom as a drama has racked up over five million views on YouTube since it was first posted last year. In an Instagram post, which can be seen here , the filmmaker noted that he manifested his dream and that the news of the BEL-AIR reboot is only the beginning.
The big BEL-AIR news comes as Smith and his co-stars from the original sitcom are set to reunite for an HBO Max special. Original stars Tatyana Ali, Karyn Parsons, Joseph Marcell, Daphne Maxwell Reid, Alfonso Ribeiro, and Smith’s longtime rap partner and recurring guest star, DJ Jazzy Jeff, will all gather for the reunion on September 10, which marks 30 years to the date that The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air premiered on NBC.
James Avery, who played Uncle Phil Banks on the comedy series, died in 2013 at age 68.
