Fans are getting prepared for the return of the Fresh Prince with the Peacock’s dramatic spin-off Bel-Air.
Actor Jabari Banks has been crowned the new Fresh Prince of Bel-Air by Will Smith himself in an on-screen interview. Banks is a West Philadelphia native and a long-time fan of the classic ‘90s sitcom.
Peacock announced the casting on Tuesday (August 30), with a heartfelt video of Will Smith telling Banks that he will be taking on the iconic role of that troubled West Philly kid sent to his uncle’s house in sunny California.
“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 into the original premise: Will’s complicated journey from the streets of West Philadelphia to the gated mansions of Bel-Air,” reads the show’s official logline. “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 nods to the original show.”
The series is already set for two seasons, inspired by writer-director Morgan Cooper’s spec trailer that went viral in 2019 and caught the attention of Will Smith, who will be an executive producer on the series.
Filmed in Los Angeles and Philadelphia, Bel-Air is produced by Universal Television and Will and Jada Pinkett Smith’s Westbrook Studios.