‘Fresh Prince’ to get dramatic reboot, Will Smith to exec produce

Will Smith

A dramatic reboot of 1990s US sitcom The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air is reportedly in the works, with original star Will Smith attached as executive producer.

The project will be based on Morgan Cooper’s popular viral video that was posted last year and has since gained more than five million views on YouTube.

Cooper will co-write and direct the reimagining and also serve as executive producer, while Chris Collins will act as showrunner and executive producer, as well as co-writing the script with Cooper. Smith, who played the lead role in the original NBC comedy, will executive produce through Westbrook Studios, along with Quincy Jones, Benny Medina, and original series creators Andy and Susan Borowitz.

Miguel Melendez and Westbrook Studios’ Terence Carter are also set to executive produce. Westbrook Studios and Universal Television, which was the studio behind the original series, will produce.

The project is being shopped to several outlets, including HBO Max, which is the current streaming home of the original show.

The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air ran on NBC from 1990 to 1996 and helped to launch Will Smith to stardom. It followed Smith as he moved from the tough streets of West Philadelphia to live with his wealthy uncle and aunt in their Bel Air mansion after getting into trouble in his hometown.

The series also starred James Avery, Alfonso Ribeiro, Tatyana M Ali and Joseph Marcell.