Classic '90s TV drama set for reboot with iconic TV superhero cast as male lead
A reboot of the lifeguard drama Baywatch is coming to our screens – and now the first star has been cast.
Hollywood star Stephen Amell is the first star to be cast in Fox’s upcoming Baywatch reboot – and he's landed a lead role.
The 12-episode series, which was confirmed last September, will air on Fox during the 2026-27 broadcast season, and is being co-produced by Fox Entertainment and Fremantle.
Amell – who is best known to audiences for playing Oliver Queen, aka the superhero vigilante Green Arrow, on The CW's Arrow, as well as for his roles in Suits: LA and the wrestling drama Heels – will play Hobie Buchannon, the son of original series main character Mitch Buchannon, played by the iconic David Hasselhoff.
While Hobie was a wild child in the original series, the reboot will see him following in the footsteps of his legendary father as a Baywatch Captain, according to the official character description.
Hobie’s world comes crashing down when Charlie, the daughter he never knew, appears on his doorstep, eager to become a Baywatch lifeguard alongside her dad.
No other casting has been announced as yet.
"From the first conversation, Stephen Amell brought exactly what this new chapter of Baywatch demands: heart, intensity, and that undeniable hero energy," Matt Nix, executive producer and showrunner, said in a statement. "He’s the kind of lead who can sprint into danger, carry the emotional weight, and still make it feel fun. We’re so excited to get started."
Nix is also executive producing, alongside the original show's creators Michael Berk, Greg Bonann and Doug Schwartz, and Dante Di Loreto.
The original drama about a group of lifeguards patrolling the beaches of Los Angeles first hit screens in 1989 and soon became a global phenomenon.
Alongside Hasselhoff, the series also made a household name of Pamela Anderson, and launched the careers of a number of stars including Carmen Electra and Jason Momoa.
Production on the reboot is slated to kick off this spring in Venice Beach.
Baywatch will air on Fox in 2026.
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Molly Moss is a Trends Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest trends across TV, film and more. She has an MA in Newspaper Journalism and has previously written for publications including The Guardian, The Times and The Sun Online.
