What if the tone of beloved ’90s sitcom “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” got “flipped-turned upside down”?
That’s precisely what’s happened in Morgan Cooper’s fan-made trailer “Bel-Air,” which is a grim retelling of the original story.
Set in today’s world, “Bel-Air” explores serious issues such as gang violence, police brutality and wealth inequity — a stark contrast to the goofy nature of the original show.
Despite all that grit and drama, there are also some very sweet moments in the trailer, including a nod to the famous Carlton dance.
“Like most 90’s kids, I grew up watching Fresh Prince,” Cooper tweeted on Sunday along with the clip. “Even as a kid, I always thought there was more to the story... so I decided to make this.”
https://t.co/nCx5LcgXhy
— Morgan Cooper (@morgancooperdp) March 10, 2019
Like most 90’s kids, I grew up watching Fresh Prince. Even as a kid, I always thought there was more to the story... so I decided to make this. S/O to incredible team who worked on this! @tldtoday @kustoo @BeleafMel @easymccoy @madebyutah @txyxuxs
Twitter quickly embraced his project, and it went viral.
Although Cooper told the website Okayplayer that the trailer, which took six months to make, isn’t a preview for a film or series, many people online wanted the trailer to blossom into a full-length project.
This is fucking brilliant. https://t.co/5VqToQMKdh
— Alyssa Milano (@Alyssa_Milano) March 11, 2019
Cooper wrote, directed and served as cinematographer for the trailer.
All in all, Cooper said he’s happy that “Bel-Air” resonated with so many people.
“When we first made this thing, I was really confident in the art,” he told Okayplayer. “The internet’s the internet. You never [know] if something’s gonna catch a spark or not. I’m very excited for everything that has happened and receive it humbly. But at the end of the day I’m a black creative, and representing my culture and expressing myself authentically is of the utmost importance to me.”