ust when you thought it was safe to go back in the water – well, actually, it is! Seth Gordon’s Baywatch calls lifeguard legends Mitch Buchannon and C.J. Parker back to their famed tower post, but this time with reboot appeal. “Out” is David Hasselhoff, replaced by the biggest Johnson on any beach – Dwayne Johnson. He’s a rock-hard hero training a new set of recruits, including rookies played by Zac Efron, Alexandra Daddario and Jon Bass. Now isn’t a time for fun, however, as Johnson must solve bikini-clad crimes while whipping his egotistical, untrained newbies into shape – all in a days work for Baywatch’s finest.
At the film’s world premiere down in Miami last week, I had the opportunity to interview Johnson about Mitch Buchannon’s return. Both pre-screening and during our chat, his passion for resurrecting Baywatch on screen was more than obvious. Hasselhoff and Pam Anderson turned their lifeguard series into a pop-culture phenomenon, and Johnson’s hopes are equally similar. With a Memorial Day weekend release, how better to celebrate summer’s kickoff than a sunny, water-soaked comedy? You can expect jiggly slow-motion, Johnson’s intensity and a light sense of humor – none of which should come as a shock.
During our interview, Johnson dove into how the long-gestating Baywatch movie came to fruition. Was Hasselhoff keen on passing the whistle? Were fans of the original receptive to remake talk? What’s the new team’s angle? Johnson got into the core of his intentions for Baywatch, and what audiences can expect. Also, we threw around a little dirt on his upcoming D.C. character Black Adam – including who he wants to see play Shazam. Name and all.
Hear what the actor has to say in the video up above and be sure to check out Baywatch when it opens on Friday!