The ‘Bel-Air’ Trailer Teases A Darker Take On ‘The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’ Story
That one little fight isn't so little this time.
The first full trailer for Bel-Air, the gritty reboot of the The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, is here and it’s giving a familiar tale a dark twist.
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is the latest beloved TV show to get a dramatic reboot. In the wake of series like the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Fate: The Winx Saga, Heathers, Charmed, and the famously botched angsty Powerpuff Girls reboot — it’s safe to say the era of dark reboots is upon us.
All the main characters from ‘Fresh Prince’ will appear in ‘Bel-Air,’ including Philip, Vivian, Carlton, Hilary, Ashley, Geoffrey, Jazz and Lisa https://t.co/xOgu2HcXNG pic.twitter.com/LMMD4gl9jn
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) January 10, 2022
If you’re somehow not familiar, the ’90s sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air was about a teenager, played iconically by Will Smith, from West Philly who moves to LA to live with his rich extended family. The beloved classic has now been rebooted as Bel-Air, and the trailer is dark.
Where the original series had two to three studio sets and a live studio audience, the trailer for Bel-Air teases a scripted teen drama more in the vein of shows like Euphoria, Gossip Girl, or even The O.C.. The trailer shows elaborate cinematic sequences where Will — this time played by Jabari Banks — is confronted with the opulence of his new residence, family, and classmates.
it's obvious the new Bel-Air series has no respect for Fresh Prince when the original show said he "pulled up to the house about 7 or 8" and the new show has him clearly arriving at midday
— Dave Itzkoff (@ditzkoff) January 10, 2022
The infamous ‘one little fight’ that leads Will to uproot and move to California in the original sitcom is no longer just a fun lyric in the opening theme but forms the foundation of Bel-Air‘s drama. In Bel-Air, the trailer shows Will is the target of a particularly violent figure from Philly that gives his wealthy uncle no choice but to take him in and protect him from harm.
There’s plenty that Fresh Prince fans will in the trailer, including Aunt Viv, Carlton, and even Jeffrey — who now a “house manager” rather than a butler. But it’s clear these elements have been reworked, not only to address a modern context, but to fit a more traditional drama format, with stars confirming each episode will be an hour long.
Here's the first full length trailer for Bel-Air. The one hour drama reimagining of The Fresh Prince Of Bel-air from genius creator/director @cooperfilms. Premieres Super Bowl Sunday on @peacockTV #BelAir pic.twitter.com/guvJyaqCPg
— Matthew A. Cherry (@MatthewACherry) January 10, 2022
Issues of drugs, police brutality, and parent abandonment were frequently dealt with in the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air but were always constrained within the sitcom comedy genre. Produced by Will Smith, Bel-Air appears to take the story to new places the original series was unable to go.
Bel-Air will stream exclusively on Stan from February 14.