The beloved sitcom Martin is making a comeback—sort of! Fans of the iconic show have something to look forward to with the announcement of a new prequel series titled Young Martin.
Martin Lawrence’s eponymous sitcom, which ran for five successful seasons from 1992 to 1997, earned global acclaim and firmly established Lawrence as a household name. Co-created by Lawrence, Topper Carew, and John Bowman, Martin garnered numerous awards and is widely regarded as one of the greatest television shows of all time. The show celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2022, with the cast reuniting for a special taping and again this year during the 75th Emmy Awards.
The reunion sparked rumors of a possible revival, and now those rumors have been confirmed. Lawrence has announced the development of a new prequel series, Young Martin, as reported by Deadline. This series will be set in present-day Detroit and will follow a young Martin Payne as he transitions from youth to adulthood. The character, reimagined for a new generation, will retain the original Martin’s ambition, humor, and commitment to friends and family, ensuring that the essence of Martin is preserved in this new series.
Lawrence will serve as an executive producer for the show, alongside Rae Proctor, Robert Lawrence, and Stacy Lyles from his production company, RunTelDat. The project is being produced in collaboration with Marvin Peart’s WonderHill Studios.
Marvin Peart expressed his excitement about the project, stating, “Out of all the hit shows during the 90s, there was only one Martin—a show that defined culture and positivity. Martin reflected a real group of friends from our community that wound up on TV screens all over the world. I respected and revered Martin Lawrence for creating Martin Payne and what he did for African Americans on television, in front and behind the camera. In many ways, he influenced my path in the entertainment industry, and it’s an honor to partner with Martin and his younger self and share him with the next generation of fans.”
While the exact air date for Young Martin has yet to be announced, anticipation is already building. Stay tuned for more updates on this exciting new series!
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Fharnell M.
