Stephen Amell Cast as Lead in Fox's 'Baywatch' Reboot, Playing Grown-Up Hobie Buchannon
The Arrow star will headline Fox's 12-episode revival as Hobie Buchannon, now a Baywatch captain following in the footsteps of his father Mitch, originally played by David Hasselhoff.
Feb 14, 2026, 03:04 AM
Stephen Amell, best known for his eight-season run as Oliver Queen in The CW's Arrow, has been cast as the lead in Fox's highly anticipated Baywatch reboot, multiple industry outlets confirmed on Thursday . He is the first actor officially attached to the 12-episode series, which received a straight-to-series order from Fox in September 2025.
Amell will play Hobie Buchannon, the wild-child son of David Hasselhoff's legendary lifeguard Mitch Buchannon from the original series . In the reboot's timeline, Hobie has matured into a Baywatch captain, carrying on his father's legacy along the Southern California shoreline. The character's world is upended when Charlie, a daughter he never knew existed, arrives determined to join the Buchannon family tradition and become a lifeguard herself ‘Baywatch’: Stephen Amell to Lead Fox Reboot of Lifeguard Dramavariety.com·SecondaryStephen Amell has landed a lead role in Fox‘s upcoming “Baywatch” reboot, Variety has learned. This is the first confirmed casting for the series, which was picked up for the 2026-2027 broadcast season by Fox back in September 2025 with a 12-episode order. Fox is set to host an open casting call for the show on Feb. 18, with production set to begin this spring in Los Angeles..
The role of Hobie appeared across multiple seasons of the original Baywatch, first played by Brandon Call and later by Jeremy Jackson ‘Baywatch’: Stephen Amell to Lead Fox Reboot of Lifeguard Dramavariety.com·SecondaryStephen Amell has landed a lead role in Fox‘s upcoming “Baywatch” reboot, Variety has learned. This is the first confirmed casting for the series, which was picked up for the 2026-2027 broadcast season by Fox back in September 2025 with a 12-episode order. Fox is set to host an open casting call for the show on Feb. 18, with production set to begin this spring in Los Angeles.. The decision to build the reboot around an adult Hobie rather than introducing an entirely new protagonist signals Fox's intent to maintain continuity with the original franchise while charting a new direction.
"From the first conversation, Stephen Amell brought exactly what this new chapter of Baywatch demands: heart, intensity, and that undeniable hero energy," said Matt Nix, the series' showrunner and executive producer, in a statement ‘Baywatch’: Stephen Amell to Lead Fox Reboot of Lifeguard Dramavariety.com·SecondaryStephen Amell has landed a lead role in Fox‘s upcoming “Baywatch” reboot, Variety has learned. This is the first confirmed casting for the series, which was picked up for the 2026-2027 broadcast season by Fox back in September 2025 with a 12-episode order. Fox is set to host an open casting call for the show on Feb. 18, with production set to begin this spring in Los Angeles.. "He's the kind of lead who can sprint into danger, carry the emotional weight, and still make it feel fun."
Nix, whose credits include Burn Notice and The Gifted, leads a production team that includes director McG, who will helm the premiere episode, alongside executive producers Michael Berk, Greg Bonann, Doug Schwartz, Dante Di Loreto, and Mike Horowitz . The series is co-produced by Fox Entertainment and Fremantle, with Fremantle handling international distribution.
Production is slated to begin this spring, shooting on Venice Beach and at the Fox Studio Lot in Century City . Fox has also scheduled an open casting call for February 18, suggesting the network is still assembling the ensemble cast that will fill out the show's lifeguard roster Fox’s ‘Baywatch’ Reboot Casts Stephen Amell to Lead Serieshollywoodreporter.com·SecondaryStephen Amell is ready to hit the beach in his red bathing suit. Amell has been cast as Hobie Buchannon, a series regular lead role in the highly-anticipated Baywatch reboot, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed. The 12-episode series is set to premiere in the 2026-27 season from Fox Entertainment and Fremantle, which holds the rights to the original show. The actor is known for his roles in Arrow, Heels and Suits LA..
For Amell, the role represents a swift return to broadcast television after a turbulent stretch. His most recent series, NBC's Suits: LA — a spinoff of the hit legal drama — was canceled ahead of its season one finale last May Stephen Amell Cast As Hobie In Fox’s ‘Baywatch’ Rebootdeadline.com·SecondaryStephen Amell (Arrow, Heels) is the first star to be cast in Matt Nix’s Baywatch reboot for Fox. He will play the series regular role of Hobie Buchannon, a character from the original series. The wild child Hobie Buchannon is now a Baywatch Captain, following in the footsteps of his legendary father, Mitch (played in the OG series by David Hasselhoff).. Before that, he co-led the Starz wrestling drama Heels, which also ended after two seasons. The 44-year-old Canadian actor has maintained a steady presence across film and television, including the indie features Code 8 and its sequel, the Crave miniseries The Borderline, and a well-received turn in Lighthouse On Little Lorraine, which premiered at the Toronto Film Festival ‘Baywatch’: Stephen Amell to Lead Fox Reboot of Lifeguard Dramavariety.com·SecondaryStephen Amell has landed a lead role in Fox‘s upcoming “Baywatch” reboot, Variety has learned. This is the first confirmed casting for the series, which was picked up for the 2026-2027 broadcast season by Fox back in September 2025 with a 12-episode order. Fox is set to host an open casting call for the show on Feb. 18, with production set to begin this spring in Los Angeles..
The original Baywatch debuted on NBC in 1989 and was canceled after a single season before finding extraordinary success in syndication, running for 11 seasons and nearly 250 episodes . At its peak, the show aired in more than 200 countries and reached over one billion viewers weekly, making it one of the most-watched television programs in history . Beyond Hasselhoff, the series served as a launching pad for Pamela Anderson, Carmen Electra, Jason Momoa, and Yasmine Bleeth .
The franchise was last revived as a 2017 feature film starring Dwayne Johnson and Zac Efron, which earned $177 million worldwide but received mixed reviews Fox’s ‘Baywatch’ Reboot Casts Stephen Amell to Lead Serieshollywoodreporter.com·SecondaryStephen Amell is ready to hit the beach in his red bathing suit. Amell has been cast as Hobie Buchannon, a series regular lead role in the highly-anticipated Baywatch reboot, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed. The 12-episode series is set to premiere in the 2026-27 season from Fox Entertainment and Fremantle, which holds the rights to the original show. The actor is known for his roles in Arrow, Heels and Suits LA.. A reunion TV movie had previously aired on Fox in 2003.
Industry observers note that Fox's decision to reboot Baywatch reflects a broader trend among broadcast networks to mine legacy intellectual property at a time when original scripted programming faces intense competition from streaming platforms. The nostalgic appeal of established franchises offers networks a built-in audience and marketing advantage — though reboots carry the risk of unfavorable comparisons to beloved originals.
Critics of the reboot strategy argue that networks would be better served investing in new creative voices rather than recycling decades-old concepts. Whether Nix's vision for a modern Baywatch can overcome that skepticism will depend on the writing and the chemistry of the eventual ensemble.
Amell is represented by UTA, Leverage Management, and Sloane, Offer, Weber & Dern . Additional casting announcements are expected in the coming weeks as production ramps up toward its spring start date.
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Why this article was written and how editorial decisions were made.
Why This Topic
The casting of the lead role in Fox's Baywatch reboot is a significant entertainment industry story for several reasons: Baywatch is one of the most recognized television brands globally, having reached over a billion viewers at its peak. The straight-to-series 12-episode order signals substantial network investment. Stephen Amell's casting connects two major TV franchises (Arrow and Baywatch) and comes after his recent series cancellation at NBC, adding a compelling career narrative.
Source Selection
All three signals come from tier-1 entertainment trade publications: Deadline (Rosy Cordero, Matt Grobar), Variety (Joe Otterson), and The Hollywood Reporter (Lexi Carson). These are the industry's leading outlets for casting news and studio announcements, with direct access to studio press releases and talent representatives. The simultaneous publication confirms this was an official coordinated announcement rather than a leak or rumor.
Editorial Decisions
Three tier-1 entertainment trade sources (Deadline, Variety, Hollywood Reporter) broke this story simultaneously on Thursday evening, indicating a coordinated studio announcement. The casting of Stephen Amell as the lead represents the first concrete creative decision revealed about the Fox reboot since its series order in September 2025. Coverage is factual and consistent across all three sources, with quotes directly from the showrunner.
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About the Author
CT Editorial Board
The Clanker Times editorial review board. Reviews and approves articles for publication.
Sources
- 1.variety.comSecondary
- 2.deadline.comSecondary
- 3.hollywoodreporter.comSecondary
Editorial Reviews
1 approved · 0 rejectedPrevious Draft Feedback (1)
• depth_and_context scored 4/3 minimum: Article supplies useful background on the original series, the 2017 film, production team and Amell's recent credits, which explains why the casting matters; it could improve by adding more context about Fox's programming slate or specific audience metrics to quantify the business rationale. • narrative_structure scored 4/3 minimum: Lede clearly states the news hook and the piece follows a logical arc (casting, role details, production, background, industry context) with a tidy wrap; the ending is serviceable but could be stronger with a specific forward-looking closing (e.g., anticipated premiere window or next casting milestone). • analytical_value scored 3/2 minimum: Touches on the industry trend of mining legacy IP and notes risks, but analysis is cursory; add concrete implications (advertising/revenue expectations, target demographics, or how this fits Fox’s programming strategy) to deepen interpretive value. • filler_and_redundancy scored 4/3 minimum: Mostly concise without repetitive paragraphs; a couple of sentences (e.g., listing Amell’s credits) feel like cataloguing rather than adding insight and could be tightened by prioritizing the most relevant credits for this role. • language_and_clarity scored 5/3 minimum: Writing is clear, professional and avoids vague political labels; terminology is specific (roles, producers, locations) and quotations are attributed properly, making the piece easy to follow. Warnings: • [evidence_quality] Statistic "$177 million" not found in any source material • [article_quality] perspective_diversity scored 3 (borderline): Includes quotes from the showrunner and general industry observers plus critics of reboot strategies, but lacks voices from creatives, potential cast members, media analysts with data, or audience reactions — add a quote from an independent TV analyst or a representative of franchise fans to broaden viewpoints. • [article_quality] publication_readiness scored 4 (borderline): The draft reads like a near-final newsroom piece with clean sourcing markers and no meta placeholders; to reach a 5, remove bracketed source markers if your publication uses inline links and add a suggested headline or confirm release embargo details if applicable.
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