Baywatch

Following in the footsteps of 21 Jump Street, Dwayne Johnson’s R-rated Baywatch movie has the potential to be another great comedic riff to its classic ’90s predecessor. And while we await the inevitable news of a David Hasselhoff / Pamela Anderson cameo, Johnson has our first look at the upcoming film, featuring Zac Efron, new uniforms and a concept called “alpha balls.”

If you still had doubts about whether Dwayne Johnson’s R-rated Baywatch movie could actually be funny, here’s some news that should dismiss them. Comedian Hannibal Buress has joined Johnson in the upcoming comedic take on the popular ’90s TV series, in which he’ll play — well, does it really matter who he’s playing? He’s going to make you laugh either way.

The scheduled big-screen reboot of Baywatch has currently taken on the following performers: Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, Zac Efron, True Detective’s Alexandra Daddario, and supermodel Kelly Rohrbach. These master thespians have slavishly honed their craft over decades of careful study, schooling themselves in the minor intricacies of the Meisner technique and the Stanislavski method, rehearsing Shakespearean quotations, tongue-twisting their way through the librettos of Gilbert and Sullivan, and overall, elevating the very practice of screen acting. They’ve all immersed themselves in the work of the greats — Olivier, Brando, Davis, Bergman — and earned their roles through innumerable hours of rehearsal, training, and theory. Additionally, all of these people are phenomenally good-looking, though it would be a gross disservice to Ms. Rohrbach to suggest that she earned this role due to anything other than pure talent.

Dwayne Johnson and Zac Efron in a comedic Baywatch revival movie? We’re already sold, but some fans have probably been eager to see who would be cast to fill Pamela Anderson’s iconic red swimsuit in the role of C.J. Parker. You can chill, as Johnson himself has officially announced model Kelly Rohrbach as the latest member of the Baywatch cast.

Last week, Deadline reported that Paramount’s planned Baywatch reboot film starring none other than Dwayne ‘the Rock’ Johnson has begun to run screen tests in search of a worthy leading lady to bound pendulously down the beach alongside him...

We weren’t really interested in a Baywatch movie until Dwayne Johnson got involved — then again, Johnson’s name can guarantee our interest in just about anything. The upcoming big screen version of the classic ’90s TV series is also set to star Zac Efron, and has recently begun its search for some leading ladies. Paramount has reportedly tested a handful of actresses, including one that has some experience working with The Rock already.

In 50 years, when some great journalist sits down to write the comprehensive biography of Zac Efron, the success of Neighbors will earn a special chapter. After all, that film was where Efron stopped being a fresh-faced, kid-friendly Disney star and started being a genuinely charming screen presence with some fairly serious comic chops. The future beyond that looks cloudy, so we don’t know if his decision to join the Baywatch movie will be viewed by future historians as a mistake or a surprisingly canny decision.

It’s a big week for Dwayne Johnson’s upcoming projects, as two have now secured directors. The other day we learned that Johnson will reunite with his San Andreas director for Rampage (based on the classic arcade game), and now another Johnson project based on a classic property has snagged a director, too.

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is not afraid to show off his glistening abs. If you have 'em, flaunt 'em, right? He did it a lot in the recent 'Hercules' movie and in Michael Bay's 'Pain & Gain,' and he's about to break out those puppies once again (and, probably, for a lot longer) in Paramount's upcoming 'Baywatch' movie.

Are you ready to see Bill Hader greased up and sporing tiny red shorts? We are! The 'SNL' star has signed on to take the lead role in the upcoming 'Baywatch' film.