Prince Willy returns in a more dramatic and darker guise, in keeping with current trends. The series will be produced by Mr. and Mrs. Smith
For those who were children in the nineties, Willy the Prince of Bel Air is almost an institution, a cult show that has marked an entire generation. But even those who are younger will have seen some episodes broadcast on TV years later. All those who do not yet know this cult series, will soon catch up: Willy is coming back, but in a different guise.
The character, and the setting in general, will be darker and more dramatic, in line with the trend of the moment: the one that has seen teen-dramas like Thirteen depopulated worldwide. But one certainty remains, Will Smith will take part in the show, he will in fact be the producer. The story, however, will be different and adapted to the twenty-first century. The basis will remain similar: a boy who moves from Philadelphia to the Bel Air neighborhood in Los Angeles by his uncle to give meaning to his life. That's what the reboot of Willy the Prince of Bel Air will look like.
Willy the Prince of Bel Air and the viral video
In 2019 on the Twitter account of Morgan Cooper, director of photography for a small American production company, a short video dedicated to Willy was posted, appearing in a different, more dramatic and darker guise, but still recognizable in several ways. The short film, which looks like the trailer of a hypothetical reboot has gone around the world and sparked the enthusiasm of users, managing to get more than seven million views. The content has aroused a lot of curiosity, arriving up to Will Smith who has complimented the work.
From this idea was born the real intention to repropose the famous television series in a dramatic role: it will be produced by Westbrook Studios, a company owned by Smith and his wife, and Universal Television, which instead holds the rights to the original series. Cooper will direct the series and will be the co-writer and co-executive producer. Alongside him will be Chris Collins, who has already worked on such successful titles as The Man in the High Castle.
Willy the Prince of Bel Air: what will it be about?
The idea is to take the famous sitcom and turn it into something dramatic, which then traces the difficult life of Willy, who goes from the mean streets of West Philadelphia to live with the rich family of uncles and cousins in the prestigious neighborhood of Bel Air in Los Angeles. We are used to seeing this character as carefree, optimistic and light-hearted but in the future it might not be so. In fact, it could turn out to be introspective, just like a teenager who in her short life has experienced some difficult moments.
According to some rumors, there will be a theme related to the prejudice of black men in today's America. In short, it will be a TV series full of food for thought, but there will also be funny moments, references and gags inspired by the original show.
Where will it be broadcast?
We still don't know the video streaming service where the TV series will be broadcast, which is tempting for many: currently, several platforms are interested, including Amazon, Apple, Netflix and HBO Max, where the old TV series is also present and which is the most credited.
The episodes will last about an hour and for the moment there is only one season, but of course the fate of the content will be decided based on its success. All that remains is to wait for further updates.