The first trailer for the modern-day dark twist on the story of Will Smith and the Banks Family has finally arrived! Bel-Air will hit Peacock streaming in 2022, and fans can now get their first look at the new Will in action.
Set in modern-day America, Bel-Air is a serialized one-hour dramatic analogue of the 90’s sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air that leans heavily into the original premise: Will’s complicated journey from the streets of West Philadelphia to the gated mansions of Bel-Air.
With a darker, reimagined vision based on the 2019 viral fan flick of the same name from creator Morgan Cooper, Bel-Air will dive deeper into some of the inherent conflicts, emotions, and biases that weren’t fully dug into in the original 30-minute comedy format, while still delivering swagger and nods to the source material.
“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,” says viral clip creator-turned-director, co-writer, executive producer of the show. “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.”
Narrated by co-executive producer Will Smith, the trailer finds the new Will, newcomer Jabari Banks, falling into a luxurious pool fully dressed.
“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,” says executive producer and co-showrunner Rasheed Newsome. “His name is Jabari Banks and he won our hearts in the same way he won this role. Our creative team, including Will Smith, recognized that Jabari embodied the talent, charisma, and sheer swagger necessary to make this iconic role his own.”
As he flails around in the water, Will is surrounded by basketballs and sports trophies, four-wheeler vehicles, and fuzzy mirror dice as he searches his surroundings. He spots a crown, but it is just out of reach. Suddenly he sees his throne on the pool floor and swims toward it.
Smith gives a dramatic spoken-word rendition of the original Fresh Prince of Bel-Air theme song, concluding it with the iconic line “Looked at my kingdom, I was finally there to sit on my throne…” as young Will floats into place and the crown rests comfortably on his head. Check out the full teaser below: