Baywatch Reboot First Look: Stephen Amell, Livvy Dunne, and the Return of Red Swimsuits

The 90s are clawing their way back out of the sand, and this time, they’ve brought high-cut spandex and a suspicious amount of baby oil. After years of rumors and a 2017 movie we all collectively agreed to forget, the Baywatch reboot is officially filming. Fox has finally unleashed the first look images from the set, and let’s be honest: it’s exactly what you think it is, only with better camera resolution and significantly more TikTok followers in the cast.

The New Guard (and some old muscles)

If you were expecting a gritty, prestige drama about the complexities of ocean salinity, you’re in the wrong zip code. The Baywatch reboot cast is a curated blend of CW veterans and Gen-Z icons. Leading the pack is Stephen Amell, trading his Arrow hood for a pair of bright red trunks. Amell stars as a grown-up Hobie Buchannon, who has apparently spent the last two decades doing crunches and inheriting his father’s penchant for dramatic pointing at the horizon.

Joining him is LSU gymnast and NIL queen Livvy Dunne, making her acting debut as Grace. The first-look photos show Dunne trading the leotard for, you guessed it, a red bikini. It’s a move that’s clearly designed to bridge the gap between nostalgic Boomers and the iPad generation, and if the social media metrics are any indication, it’s working. We also caught a glimpse of Brooks Nader as Selene, the Zuma Beach captain who looks like she’s about to give a very stern, very photogenic lecture on rip currents.

What We Know About the Plot

While the original series was essentially a weekly excuse to watch people run in slow motion, the reboot promises a bit more "character-driven action." Developed by Matt Nix (Burn Notice), the show centers on the high-stakes rescues of the Los Angeles County Lifeguards.

We’ve learned that Jessica Belkin plays Charlie Vale, the long-lost daughter Hobie didn't know he had (because what is a reboot without a "secret child" trope?). And for those craving a hit of true nostalgia, David Chokachi is officially back as Cody Madison. He’s no longer on the tower full-time, he’s running a local bar called "The Shoreline".

A Modern Makeover

The production has been spotted all over Malibu and Venice Beach, and the aesthetic is "Sun-Drenched Chic." Interestingly, the show has ditched the yellow trucks of the past for a fleet of customized Toyota Tacomas, part of a massive brand partnership that suggests these lifeguards will have better GPS than the original crew ever did.

Directed by McG, the pilot is expected to lean into the sun-soaked, escapist vibe that made the original a global phenomenon, hopefully with just enough self-aware humor to keep it from feeling like a time capsule.

Whether this reboot can capture the lightning-in-a-bottle magic of the Hasselhoff era remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: the beach is crowded, the suits are red, and the slow-motion running is definitely back in style.

Are you diving into the new Baywatch, or should this franchise have stayed underwater? Head over to the comments and let us know if you're Team Hobie or just here for the scenery.