Jennifer Grey has shared an update on the long-delayed "Dirty Dancing."
Four years have passed since the highly anticipated sequel was first announced, but the theatrical release, slated for 2024, was pushed back by Lionsgate due to last year's Hollywood strikes. Grey touched upon the topic during an appearance Sunday at the BFI London Film Festival premiere of her latest film, "A Real Pain."
“I can’t tell you much about ‘Dirty Dancing’ as I’m not going to make promises," Grey told GamesRadar+. "I’m just waiting for them to really nail it down as it has to be right. We can push that aside until we next time we speak when it hopefully will all be ironed out."
In 2020, Lionsgate revealed plans for a new installment of "Dirty Dancing," featuring Grey, who will both star in and executive produce the project. Jonathan Levine, known for directing films like "Long Shot," "Warm Bodies," and "50/50," is set to helm the sequel.
"While the original ‘Dirty Dancing’ has always been one of my favorite films, I never imagined I would direct the sequel," Levine said in a statement in May 2022, according to Variety. "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."
In 2022, Variety revealed that the filmmakers were in talks with Patrick Swayze’s estate to find a way to include his presence in the sequel.
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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