The sun is rising once again on the beaches of Los Angeles, and this time, it comes with a familiar face. David Chokachi, who played lifeguard Cody Madison in the original run of Baywatch, is officially returning for the upcoming Fox reboot series. This marks the first original cast member confirmed to join the new project, bringing a direct link to the 1990s phenomenon that made red swimsuits and slow-motion runs a global television staple .
Fox has given a straight-to-series order of 12 episodes for the reboot, which is scheduled to air as part of the 2026-2027 broadcast season. Production is set to begin this spring, with filming locations including the iconic Venice Beach in Los Angeles and the historic Fox Studio Lot in Century City . The show is being developed by Matt Nix, known for his work on Burn Notice and The Gifted, who will serve as showrunner and executive producer .
David Chokachi’s Return as Cody Madison
David Chokachi will reprise his role as Cody Madison in a recurring capacity for the new series. Chokachi originally joined Baywatch during its sixth season and remained with the show through its ninth season, becoming a fan-favorite character during the series’ peak years of global popularity .
In the reboot, Cody has not strayed far from the water. According to the official character description, he now runs The Shoreline, described as the “unofficially official Baywatch bar-and-grill.” The character remains deeply connected to his lifeguard roots. The description notes that Cody “still puts on the red trunks for the occasional shift saving lives” and serves as “a mentor to and a friend, providing a second home for his fellow lifeguards… and always offering free wings after a big save” .
This casting news carries extra weight because David Chokachi had been openly hoping for this opportunity. During interviews for the Hulu docuseries After Baywatch: Moment in the Sun, Chokachi expressed strong interest in returning to the franchise. “Yeah, sign me up!” he said at the time, adding that he had been “pitching a ‘Baywatch’ reboot for years” and would regularly reach out to executive producers asking why the show wasn’t being revived . He even wrote a treatment outlining where Cody Madison could be in modern day and how he might return to the story, showing his enthusiasm for the project long before the deal was made .
Stephen Amell Leads the Cast as Hobie Buchannon
Joining David Chokachi in the reboot is Stephen Amell, who will take on the lead role of Hobie Buchannon. Fans of the original series will remember Hobie as the son of Mitch Buchannon, the legendary lifeguard played by David Hasselhoff. In the original show, Hobie was portrayed as a wild child by actors Brandon Call and later Jeremy Jackson .
The reboot picks up years later with a grown Hobie. He is now a Baywatch Captain, having followed in his father’s footsteps to lead the team of lifeguards protecting Southern California’s shoreline. However, his life takes an unexpected turn when a daughter he never knew existed, Charlie, arrives at his doorstep. According to the official logline, Charlie is “eager to carry on the Buchannon family legacy and become a Baywatch lifeguard alongside her dad” .
Showrunner Matt Nix spoke highly of Amell’s casting. “From the first conversation, Stephen Amell brought exactly what this new chapter of Baywatch demands: heart, intensity, and that undeniable hero energy,” Nix said. “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” .
Stephen Amell is best known for his nine-season run as the titular hero in The CW’s Arrow, which established him as a leading man in action-oriented television. He has also starred in Starz’s wrestling drama Heels and recently appeared in NBC’s Suits: LA spinoff .
What to Expect From the New Baywatch Series
The reboot promises to deliver the elements that made the original a worldwide sensation while updating the format for modern audiences. Fox has described the series as featuring “adrenaline-fueled rescues, tangled relationships, complicated chemistry and beachside heroics that defined the original” .
The new version will feature an entirely new cast of lifeguards donning the signature red swimsuits, though David Chokachi‘s return provides continuity for longtime fans. The show will also incorporate “contemporary trappings, tensions and challenges” and focus on a “renewed mission to protect Southern California’s shoreline” .
The creative team behind the camera brings extensive experience. Matt Nix is writing and serving as showrunner, while McG is attached to direct the premiere episode . Importantly, original Baywatch creators Michael Berk, Greg Bonann, and Doug Schwartz are involved as executive producers, helping to ensure the reboot honors the legacy of the franchise they built . Other executive producers include Dante Di Loreto and Mike Horowitz .
Production Timeline and Casting Updates
Production for the Baywatch reboot is scheduled to begin in spring 2026. Filming will take place at two primary locations: the beachfront of Venice Beach in Los Angeles and the Fox Studio Lot in Century City .
The production team recently held an open casting call on February 18, 2026 in Marina Del Rey, California. The call sought to fill a wide range of roles, including series regulars, recurring characters, and walk-on parts. The casting breakdown indicated they were looking for performers to portray “lifeguards and beachgoers to bartenders, buddies and love interests to rescuers and rescuees of all kinds, as well as additional characters yet to be written” . Interest in the event was reportedly high, with the casting site reaching full capacity .
The Legacy of the Original Baywatch
The original Baywatch first premiered in 1989 on NBC. Although it was canceled after a single season, the show found new life in syndication and went on to become one of the most-watched television programs in the world. At its peak, it aired in more than 200 countries and attracted a weekly audience of over one billion viewers .
The series starred David Hasselhoff as Mitch Buchannon, the dedicated leader of a team of Los Angeles County lifeguards. Over its 11-season run from 1989 to 2001, the show became a launching pad for numerous acting careers. Among the stars who gained fame through Baywatch are Pamela Anderson, Carmen Electra, Yasmine Bleeth, and Jason Momoa .
The franchise expanded beyond the original series. A short-lived spinoff, Baywatch Nights, aired for two seasons and featured Hasselhoff’s character transitioning to detective work. In 2017, a feature film reboot starring Dwayne Johnson and Zac Efron brought the property back to theaters, with Hasselhoff making a cameo appearance . The recent Hulu docuseries After Baywatch: Moment in the Sun also revisited the show’s cultural impact through interviews with its alumni .
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Will Other Original Stars Appear?
With David Chokachi confirmed for the reboot, questions naturally arise about whether other beloved original cast members might also make appearances. To date, no other legacy cast members have been officially announced.
However, some original stars have previously expressed interest. Carmen Electra told TMZ in 2024 that she would consider joining the reboot. “It could be fun,” she said, though she did add a note of caution about returning to the water: “I don’t know if I’d want to be in the water. It’s the ocean, you know? I love being around the ocean. Working in it is very different. When you’re working in the ocean, it is very complicated” .
There has been no official word yet on whether David Hasselhoff or Pamela Anderson might appear in the new series. With production not starting until spring, further casting announcements are expected in the coming months.
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