World emerged last month that Jennifer Grey would be starring in and executive producing a new dance film for Lionsgate which was heavily rumoured to be a sequel to DIRTY DANCING, and now, it's official. During today's Lionsgate earnings call, CEO Jon Feltheimer shed some light on what he called "one of the worst kept secrets in Hollywood" by confirming that Jennifer Grey will indeed be reprising her role of Frances "Baby" Houseman for a sequel in addition to serving as executive producer.
The project is slated to be helmed by Jonathan Levine, director of 50/50, WARM BODIES, THE NIGHT BEFORE, and LONG SHOT, with Mikki Daughtry and Tobias Iaconis (FIVE FEET APART) penning the screenplay. The original 1987 film starred Jennifer Grey as a young woman who falls in love with dance instructor Johnny Castle (Patrick Swayze) while staying at a holiday resort with her parents. The film was a huge success at the time, and Jon Feltheimer said that the sequel 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." There have been several returns to the world of DIRTY DANCING over the years, with DIRTY DANCING: HAVANA NIGHTS in 2004 and a made-for-TV remake in 2017, but neither of those projects received a positive reception.