Which company picked up the series' distribution rights in 1994?

Warner Bros. picked up distribution rights to The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air in 1994.

The sitcom originally aired on NBC from September 10, 1990, through May 20, 1996. It was produced by the Stuffed Dog Company and Quincy Jones Entertainment, later Quincy Jones-David Salzman Entertainment, in association with NBC Productions. Warner Bros. Television was also part of the show’s production history.

The 1994 rights change is associated with syndication: episodes could be licensed for repeat broadcasts beyond their original NBC run. Warner Bros. continues to hold the series’ distribution rights, which helps explain why the company remains closely connected with the show’s later television and home-entertainment circulation.

This is distinct from the show’s original network. NBC broadcast the first-run episodes, while Warner Bros. handled distribution rights later. HBO Max was the later home of the 2020 reunion special, not the company identified with the 1994 distribution-rights deal.