‘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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