Zac Efron is in negotiations to star opposite Dwayne Johnson in Paramount’s Baywatch, the big-screen take on the 1990s television series about California lifeguards.

 

After years of development, the project seems to finally be ramping up and in recent weeks it added Seth Gordon as director. Efron’s casting sets the movie up for a production start in early 2016, likely in February.

 

 

The story centres on a by-the-book and very serious lifeguard (Johnson) who is forced to team up with a young rule-flouting hothead (Efron) in order to save their beach from environmental destruction at the hands of an oil tycoon. Damian Shannon and Mark Swift wrote the most recent draft.

 

Beau Flynn, collaborating with Johnson for the fourth time, and Ivan Reitman are producing. Johnson’s Seven Bucks Productions will also produce in some capacity.

 

Efron just wrapped production on Fox and Chernin Entertainment’s comedy Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates along with Adam Devine, Anna Kendrick and Aubrey Plaza. That comes on the heels of his work with Robert De Niro for Lionsgate’s road trip comedy Dirty Grandpa. And at the end of August, Efron will reunite with Rogen and Rose Byrne for Neighbors 2, which shoots in Atlanta. All three movies will be released in 2016.
 

 

(Hollywood Reporter)