May 21, 2024
Greg Gayne/PEACOCK
During the third season of 'Bel-Air,' premiering Aug. 15, Will (Jabari Banks) works a summer job, according to the first photos released from the upcoming season.
It's been more than a year since "Bel-Air" was renewed for another season, and fans will have to wait a few more months to find out what happens next on Peacock's gritty reimagining of "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air."
Season 3 of "Bel-Air" will premiere on Aug. 15, Peacock announced Monday. The new season will see protagonist Will (Jabari Banks) "doing Bel-Air his way" during the summer before his senior year of high school, according to the streamer.
"Being a part of the Banks family has given (Will) a new perspective – it isn’t just about wealth, it means that Will now has options to lean into other things that excite him and has the privilege to dream bigger," Peacock revealed.
The series follows West Philadelphia teenager Will, played by actual West Philly resident and University of the Arts alum Jabari Banks, on a complicated journey from the streets of his hometown to his luxurious new home with his relatives, the Banks family, in the posh Los Angeles Bel-Air neighborhood.
This time around, Will makes an "exciting pivot," and in doing so teams up with his cousin Carlton (Olly Sholotan), who is looking to rebuild his reputation after struggling with drug addiction. Will's Uncle Phil (Adrian Holmes) and Aunt Viv (Cassandra Freeman) will face relationship struggles brought on by pressure at home and work, while Will's cousins Hilary (Coco Jones) and Ashley (Akira Akbar) deal with their own misadventures in love.
A photo from the first episode of 'Bel-Air' Season 3 shows Will (Jabari Banks) and Lisa (Simone Joy Jones) getting close.
The first photos released for Season 3 show Will working at a new job, chilling at the beach and hanging out by the pool with his on-again-off-again love interest Lisa (Simone Joy Jones).
"Summertime in Bel Air is about to heat up," Jabari Banks wrote alongside the photos on Instagram. "On behalf of myself, the cast, and the whole production we want to say thank you to all of our fans for your patience, waiting on season 3! It’ll be worth the wait…trust me."
"Bel-Air," which premiered in 2022, was inspired by a viral 2019 trailer that reimagined the beloved '90s sitcom. Among the executive producers for "Bel-Air" are Morgan Cooper, who created the trailer, and West Philly native Will Smith, who starred in "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air." The series is helmed by showrunner Carla Banks-Waddles, who took over for TJ Brady and Rasheed Newson after they stepped down from the position due to creative differences ahead of Season 2.
The reboot became Peacock's most-watched original premiere when the first season debuted. Season 2, which premiered in February 2023, became Peacock’s most-watched original sophomore series. The show's second season welcomed the return of Tatyana Ali, who played the original Ashley Banks from "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, as a teacher. It also added newcomers like Jazlyn Martin, who played Will's new love interest Jackie, the niece of Will's basketball coach Doc (Brooklyn McLinn).
"Bel-Air" was renewed for a third season in March 2023, marking the first official renewal for the show, since it was originally picked up for two seasons in 2020. Season 3 will add new recurring characters named Quentin (Vic Mensa) and Amira (Alycia Pascual-Peña), according to Deadline, although no information is yet available about how the characters will fit into Will's world.
Seasons 1 and 2 of "Bel-Air" can be streamed through Peacock.
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