Deadline reports NBC’s Peacock has released the first teaser for its dramatic revival of 90s sitcom, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. In this version, titled Bel-Air, viewers will follow more serious-toned “coming-of-age” story as described by co-showrunners TJ Brady (Narcos, The 100) and Rasheed Newson (The Chi, Shooter). View the teaser featuring series lead, Jabari Banks, below.
Inspired by a fan film by series co-writer and director, Morgan Cooper (U Shoot Videos, On Sight) the series will go deeper into themes the half-hour sitcom was only able to graze over, via Deadline. As a true fish-out-of-water story, discussions on race, class, and other topics will be given more room to breathe in the hour-long format.
“We’re able to go have tough conversations that challenge perspectives,” Cooper said via Deadline. “At its core, Bel-Air is a celebration of the black experience through the perspective of a family,” Cooper stated. Brady and Newsome promised the series will still pay homage to the original series’ style and character. Read the duo’s statement below:
“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. It’s been incredible to bring these iconic characters to life when you tap them into the cultural pulse of our time. The series was the fabric of so many of our upbringings, tied to memories and the joy of seeing ourselves represented on TV so it is important to us to pay respect to its legacy.” via Deadline
Banks will play the role of Will, the role originated by the show’s executive producer, Will Smith (Suicide Squad, King Richard). According to Deadline, Banks is joined by a full cast that will reprise roles from the original series. Adrian Holmes (V Wars, 19-2) and Cassandra Freeman (A Working Mom, Inside Man) will portray Will’s aunt and uncle, Phillip and Vivian Banks, respectively. His cousins Carlton, Hilary, and Ashely Banks will be played by Olly Sholotan (Run Hide Fight), Coco Jones (Vampires v. The Bronx, Let It Shine), and Akira Akbar (This Is Us, Captain Marvel). Rounding out the cast are Jimmy Akingbola (Sorry, I Didn’t Know, In the Long Run) who will play the Banks’ butler, Geoffrey; Jordan L. Jones (South Central, Mainstream) as Will’s best friend, Jazz; and, Simone Joy Jones (The Son of No One, The Chair) as Lisa, Will’s eventual love interest.
According to Deadline, Smith’s Westbrook Studios and Universal Television will produce the series along with fellow executive producers Jada Pinkett Smith (Red Table Talk, Girls Trip), Terence Carter (Empire, 911), Malcolm Spellman (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Our Family Wedding), James Lassiter (The Harder They Fall, Lakeview Terrace), and Miguel Melendez (The Human Contract, Hawthorne). They are joined by original series creators Quincy Jones (We Are the World, Ray), Benny Medina (Above the Rim, Marry Me), Andy Borowitz (Never Say Die, Out All Night), and Susan Borowitz (Aliens in the Family, Pleasantville).
Bel-Air, which has a two-season order, is set for a 2022 release exclusively on Peacock.