‘Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’ Gets a Dramatic Reboot, With Will Smith Producing
Get ready for a grittier (but still fresh) prince of Bel-Air.
The Hollywood Reporter says that Will Smith is executive producing a new version of his popular ’90s TV series The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. The difference this time is that while the original Fresh Prince was a lighthearted sitcom, with Smith playing a kid from West Philadelphia (born and raised) who gets sent to live with his wealthy aunt and uncle in Bel-Air, this one will be a darker, dramatic version of the same concept.
According to THR, the idea grew out of a viral video by Morgan Cooper, who created a faux trailer for Bel-Air, his pitch for a gritty Fresh Prince. Smith apparently saw the video and became intrigued:
Sources tell The Hollywood Reporter that the new Bel-Air has been in the works for more than a year after the four-minute clip went viral when it was posted in March 2019 and caught Smith's attention. Cooper, a Fresh Prince super-fan, created and directed the trailer that reimagined the series as if it were a drama. He will co-write the script, direct and be credited as a co-EP.
Here’s Cooper’s original Bel-Air trailer:
The concept could certainly be told dramatically; whether it could sustain the run on TV that the original Fresh Prince had remains to be seen. (The sitcom version aired for six seasons on NBC, and launched Smith’s acting career.) Either way, Cooper is now looking at his kingdom; he is finally there. Sitting on his throne as the new prince of Bel-Air.
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