Lionsgate To Produce A 'Dirty Dancing' Sequel Starring Jennifer Grey & Directed By Jonathan Levine

If you had a childhood anything at all like mine, you’re well aware of the 1987 romance film, “Dirty Dancing.” Not because you’re obsessed with dance and/or Patrick Swayze (“Roadhouse” is still incredible, FYI), but only because your parents (my mom, in this case) played the hell out of the film during your formative years. It’s one of those movies that some people just put on the TV as comfort food, bringing back nostalgia for a certain time in their life while also imagining what it might be like to have Patrick Swayze hold you over his head in triumph.

Well, according to the CEO of Lionsgate, “Dirty Dancing” is coming back to reignite those dancing flames inside. In a report from Deadline, Lionsgate CEO Jon Feltheimer confirmed the rumors that have been floating around for some time now that the studio was moving forward with a “Dirty Dancing” sequel from “Long Shot” and “Warm Bodies” director Jonathan Levine.

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“It will be exactly the kind of romantic, nostalgic movie that the franchise’s fans have been waiting for and that have made it the biggest-selling library title in the company’s history,” said Feltheimer.

Exact plot details are still unknown, but it’s been reported that Jennifer Grey is returning to her original role of Baby Houseman. Obviously, considering the passing of Patrick Swayze, it’s unclear how the new film will deal with the lack of Johnny Castle.

The original film, as the executive pointed out, is one of the biggest romantic dramas of all time. With itx mixture of incredible casting (you can’t forget the supporting cast led by Jerry Orbach) and iconic music, “Dirty Dancing” has endured in a way that very few films have over the past four decades.

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Of course, this isn’t the first time that the “Dirty Dancing” franchise has been revived. Back in 2004, “Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights” was released and served as a “prequel’ to the original film. And by “prequel,” we mean that the film took the same basic plot of the original film, set it in Cuba, and brought in a new cast of characters to try to replicate the success of the 1987 feature. While it wasn’t terrible, per se, ‘Havana Nights’ failed to capture the same magic that Grey and Swayze created 27 years prior.

It’s still uncertain when we might see the new sequel arrive in theaters (or wherever it debuts), but with Grey aboard and the film continuing the story of Baby, there are definitely generations of people that are excited to see what happens next. We’re guessing dancing…of the dirty variety.

And obviously, we can’t write about “Dirty Dancing” without including this…