The reboot of the 90’s TV series to be a R-rated comedy as well.
It looks like High School Musical Alumnus/ Neighbors star Zac Efron is joining the new film adaptation of Baywatch.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Efron is currently in negotiations to co-star with Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson in film, which will be directed by Seth Gordon (Horrible Bosses, Identity Thief).
For those unfamiliar, Baywatch was a 90’s show starring David Hasselhoff as a lifeguard protecting Los Angeles beachgoers. If there is one thing you need to know about Baywatch, it’s that the show was notoriously cheesy. One episode saw Hasselhoff disarming a nuclear bomb in order to keep his beach safe. You read that correctly; google it if you don’t believe me.
While we don’t know if the upcoming film will be as potentially ridiculous as its source material, we do know that the film will have an edgy and comedic tone.
Following the announcement of Efron joining Baywatch, Johnson tweeted a few details about the flick, specifically that it will be a rated R comedy.
BIG NEWS: Welcoming my dude @ZacEfron to #BAYWATCH. Our movie will be big, fun and RATED R.. Like me when I drink. https://t.co/8DPMJSEG9K
— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) August 10, 2015
https://twitter.com/TheRock/status/630862418860744704
Even more details have emerged following his tweets: apparently Johnson will play a straight-laced lifeguard who must work with the cocky newbie (Efron) to save their beach from an environmental disaster.
Efron, who has come a long way from his time at East High, has proven his comedic chops last year with Neighbors, and Johnson has always oozed charisma and charm, so this rebranding of Baywatch could potentially be intriguing. And if the film can pull off clever self-aware gags similar to the Jump Street films (nuke reference please), then we might have a winner.