Based on a popular fan film from Morgan Cooper, the iconic comedy series The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is getting a dramatic new series.
Bel-Air will re-envision the classic series as serialized one-hour drama, which will take a deeper look into the conflicts, emotions, and racial biases that weren’t possible to tackle in the show’s 30-minute sitcom format. Though it will be a dark look at Will’s journey from West Philadelphia to Bel-Air, reports say the series will deliver the style and swagger of the original series. Check out the short fan film here…
The short film by cinematographer Morgan Cooper titled Bel-Air broke the Internet last March. Cooper described it as “a reinterpretation” that brings the story “into modern-day life in 2019.” The video has more than 7.5 million views to date. Cooper will direct and co-executive produce the potential series, which he is co-writing with The Wire’s Chris Collins. Collins is an executive producer and showrunner.
Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith’s Westbrook Studios, and Universal TV, owners of the copyright of the original series, are the studios behind the project. There’s currently no home for the series, but Deadline reports that Westbrook Studios and Universal Television are drawing strong interest from streaming services.
