BAYWATCH First Look Teaser Brings Stephen Amell to the Beach With Slow-Mo Action
Fox has finally dropped the first footage from its upcoming reboot of Baywatch, and it looks like the series is leaning hard into everything fans remember about the original. Slow-motion beach runs? Check. Red swimsuits? Absolutely. Sun-soaked lifeguard drama? You know it.
The brief teaser gives us our first real look at Stephen Amell as Captain Hobie Buchannon, the son of David Hasselhoff’s legendary Mitch Buchannon. After a rough streak on television following Arrow, Amell looks ready to dive back into action TV with a franchise that has decades of pop culture history attached to it.
The footage also introduces Brooks Nader, Livvy Dunne, and Jessica Belkin, who round out the new generation of lifeguards hitting the sand.
Belkin plays Charlie Vale, Hobie’s daughter, who leaves behind a messy home life in Texas and unexpectedly arrives at her father’s doorstep hoping to join Baywatch herself. Dunne, making her professional acting debut, plays junior lifeguard Grace, while Nader takes on Selene, a Zuma Beach lifeguard described as Hobie’s rival.
The promo sells the show with the tagline “same beach” and “new blood,” while fully embracing the over-the-top energy that made the original series such a massive hit in the ‘90s. Amell even leaned into the joke on Instagram with the caption: “I dream in slow motion.”
Fox seems fully aware of what audiences expect from Baywatch, and instead of reinventing the formula, the reboot appears focused on delivering a modern version of the escapist fun that turned the original into a global phenomenon.
The original Baywatch ran from 1991 to 2001 and became one of the most-watched television series on the planet. At its peak, the show aired in more than 200 countries and reportedly pulled in over a billion viewers every week.
Hollywood tried reviving the property once before with the 2017 movie starring Dwayne Johnson and Zac Efron, but that comedic version never really connected with audiences.
This new series follows Hobie Buchannon as he carries on the family legacy as a Baywatch captain. Things get complicated when Charlie suddenly enters his life, forcing him to balance family chaos with the demands of leading the team.
The cast also includes Noah Beck, Shay Mitchell, Thaddeus LaGrone, and Hassie Harrison. Fans of the original series will also see familiar faces return, as Erika Eleniak and David Chokachi reprise their roles.
The series comes from Burn Notice creator Matt Nix, who serves as showrunner and executive producer. McG is directing the premiere episode.
Fox entertainment president Michael Thorn previously talked about the pressure that comes with reviving such a massive franchise, saying: "There's only one Baywatch. It's one of the most iconic, popular television franchises in TV history."
He also acknowledged the challenge ahead, saying: "There's a lot of pressure on us to try to make it great, [but] there’s no way you don’t take that shot. [It's] pure escapism with a cast that blends top television talent with major social influencers."
The reboot is set for a 12-episode first season, though fans will have to wait a while before heading back to the beach. Baywatch doesn’t premiere until late January 2027, making this a very early preview of what Fox hopes will become its next big franchise series.
For now, though, the slow-motion running is officially back.