Will Smith will produce a new Fresh Prince of Bel-Air style sitcom through his Overbrook Entertainment
Times are certainly changing on the small screen with quite a few popular series returning years (in some cases decades) after they initially went off the air. Shows such as Disney Channel‘s “Boy Meets World” spinoff, “Girl Meets World,” and streaming reprisals like Netflix‘s “Arrested Development” have paved the way for the upcoming return of series like “The X-Files,” “Full House,” “Twin Peaks,” “Coach” and “Married with Children.” Now, Deadline brings word that Will Smith has plans to produce a new “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” style series through his Overbrook Entertainment.
Although the outlet admits that the show has been unofficially dubbed a new “Fresh Prince” within the industry, there are currently no plans to fit the untitled series into the existing “Fresh Prince” continuity. That may change down the line, however, as the show’s conceit is said to borrow heavily from the themes of “Fresh Prince,” following a protagonist who similarly has his or her life “flipped-turned upside down,” moving into an unfamiliar environment.
“The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” premiered in 1990 and ran for six seasons on NBC. It followed Smith as a charismatic teen who, after getting into trouble in his West Philadelphia neighborhood, moves in with affluent relatives living in Bel-Air, California.
The original “Fresh Prince” also stars Alfonso Ribeiro, Karyn Parsons and Tatyana M. Ali as Smith’s cousins, Carlton, Hilary and Ashely Banks. Smith’s aunt, Vivian, was played in seasons one through three by Janet Hubert-Whitten before Daphne Maxwell Reid took over the role for the second half of the series. James Avery, who tragically passed away last year, played “Uncle Phil” Banks, who often served as a foil for Smith’s antics. Joseph Marcell, finally, put in a memorable performance as the Banks’ butler, Geoffrey.
It is stressed that the new series is in the very early planning stages and that there are several different routes the show could ultimately take. If it is decided that the show should become an official “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” followup, negotiations will have to happen with the rights holders at Universal Television.
