The ‘Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’ Reboot Trailer Is Bringing So Much Drama

After much anticipation, Peacock has finally unveiled the official trailer and first-look photos for the upcoming drama series Bel-Air, which reimagines NBC’s iconic sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air in modern-day America. 

Executive produced by Will Smith, who played the titular role in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air from 1990 until 1996, Bel-Air will premiere its three first episodes on Super Bowl Sunday (February 13, 2022). Following the momentous launch, seven more one-hour episodes will then be released weekly on Peacock. “Bel-Air [offers] a new, dramatic take on Will’s complicated journey from the streets of West Philadelphia to the gated mansions of Bel-Air. As these two worlds collide, Will reckons with the power of second chances while navigating the conflicts, emotions, and biases of a world far different from the only one he’s ever known,” the series synopsis reads in a press email shared by the network. 

ICYMI, Bel-Air is inspired and based on Morgan Cooper’s reimagined fan-made trailer of the original series, which was released in 2019 and immediately went viral. “Like most 90’s kids, I grew up watching Fresh Prince. Even as a kid, I always thought there was more to the story… so I decided to make this,” Cooper captioned a tweet introducing the trailer at the time—and that he did. Cooper serves as director, co-writer, and executive producer of Bel-Air and his influence is evident in the new trailer. The first half of the trailer introduces us to the iconic characters of the past—but instead of punchy one-liners and bottled laughs, ominous music precedes each introduction and things quickly get real in the second half.

Hailing from West Philadelphia, much like his character, the series stars newcomer Jabari Banks as Will. The Banks family will include Adrian Holmes as Uncle Phil, Cassandra Freeman as Vivian Banks, Olly Sholotan as Carlton, Coco Jones as Hilary, and Akira Akbar as Ashley. Jimmy Akingbola will be in charge of bringing the iconic role of Geoffrey to life for the reboot, while Jordan L. Jones will star as Jazz and Simone Joy Jones will take on the role of Lisa. “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,” Cooper shared in an email.