That Fake 'Fresh Prince' Reboot Might Actually Get Made Now
The Fresh Prince is about to get real.
We love Morgan Cooper here at No Film School. He embodies everything we think is great about this filmmaking generation. That's why we are so excited to hear that The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air is making a return with Bel-Air, an hourlong series based on Morgan Cooper’s popular fan film/fake trailer that reenvisions the 1990s Will Smith sitcom as a drama.
The project is being produced by Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith’s Westbrook Studios and Universal Television. It is currently being pitched to streamers, drawing strong interest and big commitments, including multiple straight-to-series orders.
That's amazing news.
The show is set in the present and still follows Will’s journey from the streets of West Philadelphia to the gated mansions of Bel-Air. With a reimagined vision, Bel-Air will dive deeper into the inherent conflicts, emotions, and biases that were impossible to fully explore in a 30-minute sitcom format, while still delivering swagger and fun nods to the original show.
That sounds relevant and important today.
The short film by cinematographer Cooper took the internet by storm when it was released in March 2019. Described by Cooper as “a reinterpretation” that brings the story “into modern-day life in 2019,” it has amassed more than 7.5 million views to date in two official YouTune posts.
Will Smith watched it, loved it, and knew it had to come to fruition.
That's what brought us here.
We cannot wait to see what comes next.