Westbrook Studios and The Malar Group are developing “215,” a coming-of-age scripted series based on Will Smith’s hip-hop rise and the formation of DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince.
The series is the first project from the production partnership. “215” will be based in West Philadelphia in the late 1980s, following a quick-witted teenage rapper, his DJ best friend and the friends who helped them along the way. It will also see the pair chase a record deal and attempt to make their way out as the city’s hip-hop scene takes off.
“It’s a story about ambition and brotherhood, and about the moment hip-hop went from the block party to the mainstream, with a group of kids from the 215 leading the way,” the series logline reads.
“’215′ is especially meaningful to us because it draws from the rise of DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince and celebrates Philadelphia during such a defining era in the city’s late-’80s/early-’90s hip-hop scene,” said Terence Carter, president of television at Westbrook Studios. “The Malar Group shares our approach to storytelling, and this partnership gives us the opportunity to build a slate together with intention, beginning with a project rooted in friendship, ambition and the integrity of this specific time and place.”
Will Smith founded Westbrook Studios in 2019 with his wife Jada Pinkett Smith. The studio also produced “Ride or Die,” “Red Table Talk” and “Cobra Kai.”
The series is part of a larger partnership between Westbrook Studios and The Malar Group. The studios will partner to finance and develop a new slate of film and television projects.
“We’re excited to partner with Westbrook Studios on a slate of film and television projects driven by distinctive creative vision and exceptional storytelling,” said Sayan Navaratnam, CEO of Malar Group. “‘215’ caught our attention immediately. It’s the untold origin story of a show that audiences around the world have connected with for decades, but at its heart, it’s about two people who believed in each other, overcame extraordinary odds and built something that endured.”
Upcoming film projects from Westbrook Studios include MGM’s “Night of the Living Dead,” Netflix’s “Fast & Loose” and Warner Bros.’ “I Am Legend 2.”
