Skip to main content

There’s going to be Baywatch movie featuring Zac Efron and Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson

rampage
Helga Esteb/Shutterstock
Move over, Hoff. There’s some new buff bodies in town looking to run down the beach in agonizingly slow motion, destined to introduce a whole new generation to the daily drama that comes with being a lifeguard in southern California. Zac Efron and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson are reportedly in talks to star in a new Baywatch movie from Paramount, based on the popular ‘90s show, reports Variety.

As ‘90s kids know, the Baywatch crew was led by David Hasselhoff, but the show also made stars out of the buxom Pamela Anderson, along with Yasmin Bleeth, David Charvet, and Jason Momoa, among others. It was also a follow-up show for Nicole Eggert following her days on ‘80s sitcom Charles in Charge.

Recommended Videos

Related: Can’t get enough Wet Hot American Summer? The documentary is now on Netflix

The original Baywatch launched in 1989, and was actually canceled after one season, only to be resurrected and become a staple of ‘90s TV programming. Who, after all, could resist a group of hot, young California women in bathing suits and male babes showing off their ripped abs? In fact, images of a shirtless “Hoff” have become iconic, and many a ‘90s kid had pics of Anderson wearing that signature red bathing suit on their wall.

This version, however, may be more spoof than anything. While there aren’t many details, the film will reportedly be more of a comedy than an action-drama like the original. Indeed, both actors have experience in that genre, Efron with films like Neighbours and 17 Again and Johnson in films like Tooth Fairy and, of course, his memorable Saturday Night Live character “The Rock” Obama, who rears his ugly head when President Barack Obama gets angry.

The Baywatch comedy movie will be directed by Seth Gordon and produced by Gordon along with his partner Dany Garcia. The flick will be ritten by Damian Shannon and Mark Swift.

Production will begin next year, but a release date has not yet been confirmed. It is bound to be terrible. But given the success of movies like Sharknado, that just might translate to terribly good. And given that both actors have been having box office successes of late, this could just be a hit. Looks like someone is ready to hassle the Hoff.

Christine Persaud
Christine has decades of experience in trade and consumer journalism. While she started her career writing exclusively about…
Zac Efron goes to Vietnam in the shallow comedy The Greatest Beer Run Ever
Zac Efron can see that war is hell in The Greatest Beer Run Ever.

It was wishful thinking to imagine that Peter Farrelly would go back to making dick and fart jokes with his brother, Bobby, after winning Best Picture for Green Book, whose road to Academy glory began here in Toronto four years ago. How are you gonna keep him on the flatulence farm when he’s seen the bright lights of the Kodak Theatre? Following the rosy can’t-we-call-get-along biopic race relations of his previous film and their unfortunate Oscar-night victory, the guy who once gave Cameron Diaz a spunky new hairdo, has officially traded lowbrow comedy for middlebrow dramedy. There’s gold (statuettes) in them hills.

To be fair, Farrelly has always been a sap, as secretly interested in warming hearts as he is in triggering gag reflexes. Look beyond the scatological set pieces that made them popular, and you can see a touch of Frank Capra in many of Peter and Bobby’s sweet misfit yuk- and yuck-fests. Lately, the writer-director has simply been reversing the ratio of Goofus to Gallant. His latest film, The Greatest Beer Run Ever, which premiered last night at TIFF, reverses it further in Gallant’s favor. This is another true story of broadening horizons during the 1960s that feels like it could have been conceived for the screen sometime in the 1980s. And it’s further proof that Farrelly did better, more charming work when he ballasted his soft side with raunch.

Read more
Everything coming to PBS in November 2024
Rachel Shenton and Nicholas Ralph in All Creatures Great and Small.

There are no new British dramas premiering on PBS in November, but there's more than enough programming to see you through the penultimate month of 2024. Ken Burns is premiering his new documentary, Leonardo da Vinci, about the world's most famous Renaissance man, artist, and inventor. And PBS has several other documentary and nature programs slated to run throughout the month.

PBS' non-partisan coverage of the 2024 presidential election will culminate on Tuesday, November 5. But if you're really missing your British dramas, there are encore presentations of All Creatures Great & Small and Call the Midwife coming as well.

Read more
What’s new on Amazon Prime Video in November 2024
A man stands in front of a caution sign.

James Patterson's Alex Cross character is getting a third chance in live-action this month on Amazon Prime Video. Morgan Freeman and Tyler Perry have previously portrayed the titular detective character. Now, Black Adam's Aldis Hodge steps into the role. The new Cross series is Prime Video's biggest debut in November, but far from the only noteworthy addition. There are a lot of new additions to the streamer's movie lineup, including The Godfather trilogy, Silver Linings Playbook, and the unconventional vampire film Abigail.

Additionally, Prime Video is rebooting Cruel Intentions as a drama series, which has the potential to be another big hit for the streamer. And aside from Die Hard, there are only a handful of Christmas titles coming this month. We can appreciate a little restraint, especially since December will likely be a very different story.

Read more