Will Smith is executive producing Peacock’s Fresh Prince of Bel-Air reboot, which is called Bel-Air and has made no secret of its grittier tone, including the reasons why Will (now portrayed by Jabari Banks) left West Philly to join Uncle Phil in California. Yet there’s nothing at all dark about the Super Bowl LVI spot, which is a good thing because, hey, no one wants grittiness at the big game.
Cue the dancing from Will Smith, who’s joined by people around the world in recreating the theme song. A mariachi band even gets in on the fun, and the show will even premiere on Super Bowl Sunday on Peacock. Three episodes will drop that day (so no fear, drama will surface as the show explores complex issues through a contemporary lens), followed by weekly rollouts for the rest of a first season. From the synopsis:
Set in modern-day America, Bel-Air is a serialized one-hour dramatic analogue of the 90s 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. 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.
Bel-Air (with another new Aunt Viv) will stream on February 13 on Peacock.