The Game Returns Nov. 11 on Paramount+; New Bel-Air Series Announces Casting of Will Character

Wednesday, September 01, 2021

The Game Returns Nov. 11 on Paramount+; New Bel-Air Series Announces Casting of Will Character

The Game - Tim Daly, Toby Sandeman and Coby Bell

Paramount+, the streaming service from ViacomCBS, announced that its upcoming revival of the groundbreaking series The Game will debut on Thursday, Nov. 11. In addition, during Paramount+'s Television Critics Association virtual presentation, the service also announced two new cast members joining the team: Tim Daly (Wings, Madam Secretary), who will play Colonel Ulysses S. Thatcher, a self-made billionaire, and Toby Sandeman (Power Book III: Raising Kanan), who will play Garret Evans, the top football player in the league. Fan favorite Coby Bell (Walker) will make a special appearance reprising his role as former footballer Jason Pitts.

Relocating from San Diego to Sin City, The Game returns with a mix of new players and original cast to offer a modern-day examination of Black culture through the prism of pro football. The team will tackle racism, sexism, classism and more as they fight for fame, fortune, respect and love - all while trying to maintain their souls as they each play The Game. The comedy also stars Wendy Raquel Robinson (Insecure) as sports agent Tasha Mack; Hosea Chanchez (Black Lightning) as footballer Malik Wright; Adriyan Rae (Chicago Fire) as Brittany Pitts, the daughter of Jason and Kelly Pitts; Vaughn Hebron (Tyler Perry's The Oval) as Jamison Fields, an undrafted free agent; and Analisa Velez (Sneaky Pete) as Raquel Navarro, Brittany's best friend. Legacy players Brittany Daniel (Cheaper by the Dozen) and Pooch Hall (Ray Donovan) will make special appearances, reprising their roles as Kelly Pitts and Derwin Davis, respectively.

Will Smith and Jabari Banks

Peacock's highly anticipated drama series Bel-Air, a contemporary reimagining of the beloved and culture defining '90s sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, has cast newcomer and West Philadelphia local Jabari Banks in the iconic role of "Will" originated by Will Smith. Peacock previously ordered two seasons of the series adaptation of Morgan Cooper's viral fan film Bel-Air. Cooper wrote and directed the four-minute spec trailer, debuting the video on social media in March 2019. The trailer, which currently has nearly 7 million views on YouTube, caught the attention of Smith, and in a reaction video Smith called the film and idea brilliant. 

Set in modern-day America, Bel-Air is a serialized one-hour dramatic analogue of the 90's sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air that leans into the original premise: Will's complicated journey from the streets of West Philadelphia to the gated mansions of Bel-Air. With a reimagined vision, Bel-Air will dive deeper into the inherent conflicts, emotions and biases that were impossible to fully explore in a 30-minute sitcom format, while still delivering swagger and nods to the original show.