Seth Gordon is directing Dwayne Johnson (The Rock) in a futzing ‘Baywatch’ movie
Wait. What? Not that like, I’m opposed to taking my Wife to see Dwayne run around shirtless for two hours. For, you know, both of our enjoyment. But he’s starring in a fucking Baywatch rebook? Being directed by Seth Gordon? Well then. Okay.
The long-gestating Baywatch movie may have finally caught itself a director. Seth Gordon(Horrible Bosses) is in negotiations to adapt Paramount’s action-comedy take on the 1990s series, which has Dwayne Johnson attached to star. Read all about the Baywatch Seth Gordon news after the jump.
THR reported the news. Baywatch has been in the works for over a decade now, with a string of different writers and directors. Damian Shannon and Mark Swift wrote the most recent draft of the script following earlier drafts by Justin Malen, Robert Ben Garant, and many more. Gordon replaces Sean Anders and John Morris (Horrible Bosses 2), who were attached as of last year.
The biggest challenge has been finding the right story and tone. Baywatch, which aired through the 1990s, was an action-drama about lifeguards patrolling the Los Angeles County coastline. But the Baywatch movie will do to the show what 21 Jump Street the film did to 21 Jump Street the series — reboot it as an action-comedy that lovingly pokes fun at the original.
Johnson will play a serious, by-the-book lifeguard who (and I’m sure you can all guess where this is going, just based on that description) is forced to join forces with a young rebellious hothead in order to keep their beach from getting destroyed by an oil tycoon.
Gordon broke out with his video game documentary The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters. He’s since directed the filmsFour Christmases, Horrible Bosses, and Identity Thief, as well as several TV shows including The Goldbergs, Breaking In,The Office, and Parks and Recreation.