Peacock’s new one-hour drama series will reimagine the beloved sitcom, 'The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,' for a modern-day audience.
Peacock released a new teaser for their highly anticipated Fresh Prince of Bel-Air reboot, Bel-Air, on Wednesday.
Set to "Dreams and Nightmares" by Philadelphia's own Meek Mill, the latest trailer for the reimagined drama series looks at Will's less than comical life before his mom sends him to live with his aunt and uncle in Bel-Air.
In the 47-second clip, we get a look at newcomer Jabari Banks portraying Will, as he encounters the not-so-sunny side of Philadelphia, getting into scuffles on the basketball court that turn so dangerous that it prompts his worried mother to take him out of the city.
Without giving her son a choice, Will's mom decides to ship her son off to California, where he'll not only move into his relative's Bel-Air mansion, but be forced to navigate the conflicts, emotions and biases of a world far different from the only one he’s ever known.
Set in modern-day, Bel-Air is a serialized one-hour dramatic adaptation of the '90s sitcom starring Smith. The show will lean into the series' original premise, following Will's complicated journey from the streets of West Philadelphia to the gated mansions of Bel-Air. However, Bel-Air will dive deeper into the struggles that were impossible to fully explore in a 30-minute sitcom format, while still delivering swagger and a nod to the original show, Peacock said in a press release.
Morgan Cooper, director, co-writer and executive producer of the series, said the show will peel back the layers of the otherwise comedic characters seen in the original '90s sitcom.
"With this dramatic reimagining, we wanted to create a show that stands on its own while honoring the spirit and innovation of the original series. Because Bel-Air is a drama, we're able to really peel back the layers of these characters and themes in a way that you simply couldn't do 30 years ago in the half-hour sitcom format," Cooper said in a statement. "We're able to go have tough conversations that challenge perspectives. At its core, Bel-Air is a celebration of the black experience through the perspective of a family."
With casting Banks as "Will" in the modern take on this classic coming-of-age story, co-showrunners and executive producers T.J. Brady and Rasheed Newson felt like they found the perfect person to step into the role.
"During the development of Bel-Air, the most daunting question was: Could we find a young actor who'd be able to step into the role of Will Smith? Well, did we ever find him. His name is Jabari Banks and he won our hearts in the same way he won this role," the pair said in the release. "Our creative team, including Will Smith, recognized that Jabari embodied the talent, charisma, and sheer swagger necessary to make this iconic role his own."
It's a sentiment Smith, whose workings as an executive producer on the series via his Westbrook Studios, echoed himself in August, when handing down the baton to the young actor.
"From the deepest parts of my heart, I want to say congratulations to you, you have the role of Will on Bel-Air," Smith told Banks.
"You have a fantastic road ahead of you and I'm looking forward to being an asset for you in this process as you build out your life and your career," Smith added, telling Banks to "go have some fun."
Bel-Air will premiere Feb. 13 on Peacock, with the first three episodes at launch and new episodes released weekly.
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