David Chokachi will return to Baywatch, reprising the role of lifeguard Cody Madison in the upcoming series revival, THR reports. In the new series, Cody will “[run] The Shoreline, the unofficially official Baywatch bar-and-grill, and still puts on the red trunks for the occasional shift saving lives,” the casting notice reads. “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.”
That means Chokachi, who appeared in the cult-favorite Image Comics adaptation Witchblade, will join Arrow star Stephen Amell, who was recently cast in the role of Hobie Buchannon, the son of original series star Mitch (David Hasselhoff).
The revival hails from Matt Nix, best known for creating Burn Notice, which had its own tie-in comic, creating a kind of weird trifecta. McG (Charlie’s Angels) will direct the pilot for the series, which is expected to air 12 episodes on FOX.
Per the series’ official logline, “The wild child Hobie Buchannon we all loved from the original series is now a Baywatch Captain, following in the footsteps of his legendary father, Mitch. Hobie’s world is turned upside down when Charlie, the daughter he never knew, shows up on his doorstep, eager to carry on the Buchannon family legacy and become a Baywatch lifeguard alongside her dad.”
Eagle-eyed fans will note that Arrow also featured not one, but two kids that Oliver Queen didn’t know he had, which is a very strange bit of typecasting for Amell (who is, from what we can tell, a perfectly fine dad in real life).
“From the first conversation, Stephen Amell brought exactly what this new chapter of Baywatch demands: heart, intensity, and that undeniable hero energy,” Nix said in a statement. “He’s the kind of lead who can sprint into danger, carry the emotional weight, and still make it feel fun. We’re so excited to get started.”
