Cue the slow-motion beach running. Baywatch is returning with a major new television reboot, and now we have confirmation that a legacy cast member is diving back into familiar waters. The news comes just days after the announcement that the show would be led by DC star Stephen Amell, aka Oliver Queen from the Arrowverse, in the role of Hobie Buchannon, Jeremy Jackson’s character from the original series, and the son of legendary lifeguard Mitch Buchannon, who was played by David Hasselhoff back in the ’90s.
As reported by Variety, OG Baywatch heartthrob David Chokachi will be donning his red swimming trunks again to wade back into the franchise. He will reprise the role of Cody Madison in the Fox version – a character who was introduced in the show’s sixth season and remained on board (pun intended) until the end of the ninth season. During his tenure, he proved himself to be a skilled swimmer, but in the new series, he has transitioned from a full-time lifeguard to the owner of a bar-and-grill, per the official character description:
“The Shoreline, the unofficially official Baywatch bar-and-grill, and still puts on the red trunks for the occasional shift, saving lives. He’s a mentor to and a friend, providing a second home for his fellow lifeguards… and always offering free wings after a big save.”
Fox picked up Baywatch for the 2026-2027 broadcast season with a 12-episode order in September 2025, following a long period of development to bring the iconic lifeguard drama back to screens. Matt Nix is serving as showrunner and executive producer alongside original series creators Michael Berk, Greg Bonann, and Doug Schwartz, ensuring it stays true to the spirit of the original. The series is slated to begin filming this spring, with Charlie’s Angels filmmaker McG directing the pilot and also serving as an executive producer.
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This story originally appeared on Movieweb
