'Baywatch' Movie Reboot: Release Date, Cast Info and More
Hollywood is obsessed with sequels, spinoffs and reboots at the moment, so perhaps this news won't come as a surprise: the iconic TV series Baywatch is being rebooted as a movie. The plans have been in the works since 2014, according to the Hollywood Reporter, but the forthcoming film has finally added key elements to its cast. Most importantly, it's pinned down a genre, after struggling to capture an identity that both evokes the original series and creates a personality of its own.
Read more: There's Something Missing From the New 'Baywatch' Costumes...
Officially, the film has added important members to its hunky cast. According to Variety, this includes Dwayne Johnson as one of the leads and Kelly Rohrbach as the character C.J. Parker — whose role helped put Pamela Anderson into the spotlight in the '90s. Additionally the film will add noteworthy Baywatch series alum David Hasselhoff — though it's unclear if it'll be a cameo, supporting or lead role.
Regardless, Johnson was thrilled to have Hasselhoff join the reboot, and praised Hasselhoff in a video on his Instagram page. He also noted in the caption that he's hoping the signature Hasselhoff chest hair will be back in full effect — an envious feature the former wrestling star cannot compete with.
Zac Efron is also joining the Baywatch reboot cast. "It's going to be R-rated and it's going to be badass," Efron said, in an August 2015 interview with Reuters. "I think we're going like pretty big with it and I don't think it's going to be much like the old Baywatch to be honest. I think we're going to kind of reinvent it in a big way, and [Johnson] has big plans for it. I know he's very ambitious."
The reboot will be directed by Seth Gordon, best known as the director of Horrible Bosses. The hire indicates that the film — originally pegged to go the full-fledged action flick route — will take a more satirical route. According to the Hollywood Reporter, they're looking for comparisons to the 21 Jump Street reboot, which took a television series and retooled it as a action-comedy, to great success.
While the release date could certainly change depending on the production process (take note with Star Wars: Episode VIII), the Baywatch reboot is set for a May 19, 2017 release. Nostalgic fans of the series won't have long to wait, however. Johnson's Instagram has been posting constant updates from the set, which should assuage any impatient fans' temperaments.
