Baywatch is set to return to screens next year after a reboot was given the green light by Fox.
The new version of the show will be co-produced by Fox Entertainment and Fremantle, and will run for 12 episodes during the 2026-2027 broadcast season. Burn Notice creator Matt Nix will serve as showrunner.
In a statement to Variety, Michael Thorn, President of Fox Television Network, said: “In its first run, Baywatch defined an entire era of beach life and elevated lifeguards to an iconic status. Now, with our partners at Fremantle, this television juggernaut is set for a modern-day comeback.
“Together, Fox and Fremantle, along with Matt Nix and original co-creator Greg Bonann, will bring the California dream to a whole new generation of fans with fresh stories, rising stars and all the spectacle that make the Baywatch franchise a global sensation.”
Christian Vesper, CEO of global drama for Fremantle, added: “Baywatch has always been a treasured asset in Fremantle’s portfolio and remains one of the most iconic series in television history globally. We have found the perfect partners in Fox to help us maintain this legacy.
“With Matt Nix at the helm, we are in great hands, as he excels at telling engaging and entertaining stories. Our goal is to reconnect with existing fans while also introducing a new generation to the world of these famous lifeguards.”
Baywatch first aired in 1989 and went on to become one of the most-watched television series in the world.
The original series starred David Hasselhoff and featured dozens of stars during its 12-year run, including Jeremy Jackson, Michael Newman, Pamela Anderson, Gregory Alan Williams, Nicole Eggert, Carmen Electra, and more.
The show was most recently revived as a movie in 2017, starring Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, Zac Efron, and Alexandra Daddario.
In a two-star review for The Independent, critic Jack Shepherd wrote: “When 21 Jump Street was originally announced, many turned up their noses. Could an adaptation of an aged TV show be that great? After all, similar attempts with The A-Team and Dukes of Hazard had failed spectacularly. Thanks to the comic genius of The Lego Movie’s Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, though, both 21 and 22 Jump Street were wonderfully funny flicks that balanced crude and clever humor.
“Baywatch attempts to replicate Jump Street’s genius: a comic reimagining featuring A-list actors aimed at the Twitter and Facebook generation. Unfortunately, where Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum managed to avoid relying on penis jokes, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson and Zac Efron’s flick features two separate scenes that revolve around men’s genitals, neither of which land.”
