The epic 90s sitcom Martin is coming back to TV – with set to be heavily involved.
The US sitcom, which first started in 1992, followed Lawrence as the titular character who tries to balance his family life with his career as a DJ in Detroit.
It attracted millions of viewers during its original run, finally coming to an end in 1997 after five seasons and over 100 episodes.
Despite finishing 27 years ago, Martin has remained popular thanks to streaming services keeping it alive – and now a reboot is coming from Lawrence himself.
Titled Young Martin, the show is expected to be an hour-long special rather than a brand new series, and will take a leaf out of the book of Bel-Air – the dramatic prequel to ’s The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
According to , the reboot will follow Martin Payne during his adolescence as he grows from childhood into adulthood, dealing with the problems teenagers face.
However, it seems Young Martin won’t be set in the late 1980s – the series will play fast and loose with the series timeline and put Martin in present day Detroit.
Deadline said ‘[The special] follows Martin Payne, a spirited teenager whose journey is characterized by ambition, humor, and a genuine compassion for those around him.
‘The show will explore themes of family, friendship and life while the young Payne balances on the tightrope between adolescence and adulthood.
‘Martin’s quick wit and magnetic personality draw him into high-stakes situations, where he must confront obstacles, emotions, and ultimately, find his path to success.’
On Twitter, @DJack0813 said: ‘I am so excited for this Martin prequel. That’s a great idea. I didn’t want a reboot but I’ll watch.’
Meanwhile, @Major_Mooves was determined to do more than just watch: ‘I will tweet Martin Lawrence every morning until I’m noticed and get my opportunity, I really wanna be a part of Martin’s reboot.’
However, @ShadBoogie wasn’t so forgiving: ‘Hollywood writing rooms and creators have gotten lazy. Let’s just reboot and give sequels to everything. Come on man. Some stuff is classic the 1st time around and doesn’t need to be expounded upon.’
The return of Martin, even for a one-hour special, is part of a revival for Martin Lawrence, with earlier this year.
Lawrence is attached as a producer on Young Martin and will work with the writers to bring the show to life in a new light, apparently taking inspiration from his Bad Boys big-screen partner Smith.
Bel-Air, which began in 2022 and was a prequel to the Will Smith sitcom, opened to mixed reviews but was renewed for a second season, which aired in 2023 and was much better received by fans and critics.
The series took a more dramatic look at the origins of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, focusing on the story told in its theme song as Will Smith falls foul of some bad kids in his native Philadelphia.
While on the air between 1992 and 1997, Martin won a prestigious People’s Choice Award and an NAACP Image Award, with a TV reunion also being well-received in 2022.
Much like the reunion in 2021, it featured guest spots – including from the likes of – and showed the cast looking back on the series 24 years later.
Watch episodes of Martin on Apple TV.
