Here’s some big news out of Cannes: Lionsgate has finally locked down two key components of their long-gestating Dirty Dancing sequel. First, the film’s found its director in Jonathan Levine (The Wackness, 50/50, Long Shot), who was originally just going to produce the film before deciding that, god damn it, he was just going to do it himself. Second, and perhaps more importantly, Jennifer Grey’s going to come back to play Baby one more time. All was revealed earlier on Monday by Deadline, who scored an interview with Levine to discuss his hopes and goals for the project.
Here’s the plot, according to Deadline:
“In the sequel, Jennifer Grey will reprise her iconic role of Frances ‘Baby’ Houseman as she returns to Kellerman’s in the 1990s. Like the original, the sequel will be a coming-of-age romance centered on the experience of a young woman at the summer camp, but Baby’s own journey will intertwine with this to create a multi-layered narrative.”
In case you’re wondering if Patrick Swayze’s going to make a digitally reanimated appearance in Dirty Dancing 2, well, who knows. He’ll be a part of the picture in some fashion. Here’s Levine’s very vague answer:
“Johnny is a part of Baby’s journey in the story[…] This film exists in a dialogue with the original. We want to introduce this story to a whole new generation. That said, Johnny’s absence looms large over the story, so it’s a coming-of-age story but also a coming-of-age for Baby’s character in a way.”
And, finally, here’s Levine’s mission statement about the project, which pleads with you to not write this off as just another legacyquel:
“While the original Dirty Dancing has always been one of my favorite films, I never imagined I would direct the sequel[.] Through co-writing it, I fell in love with the characters (new and old), the world of 1990s Catskills New York, and the music, which will range from songs from the original movie to ‘90s hip-hop. I can’t wait to collaborate with Jennifer to bring this beautiful story of summer and romance and dancing to a generation of new fans. And to the longtime ones, I promise we will not ruin your childhood. We will tackle the assignment with sophistication, ambition, and, above all, love.”
Dirty Dancing (yes, they’re just doing the horror trend here of not numbering the sequel, choosing to let film nerds put parenthetical year-of-release tags instead of trying to account for Havana Nights in the chronology) will go into production later this year, with an expected 2024 release date. In other horrible news for those trying to feel young, the OG Dirty Dancing‘s release date will be about as far away from the modern-day as it was from its ’60s setting. Just let that sink in for a second.