Dirty Dancing: Sequel starring Jennifer Grey ‘will not ruin your childhood’, director says

The director of the Dirty Dancing sequel starring Jennifer Grey has promised fans that he “will not ruin your childhood” with the new film.

Back in 2020, it was announced that Grey would be reprising the role of Frances “Baby” Houseman in the sequel to the 1987 hit romantic drama.

The follow-up film, which will also be titled Dirty Dancing, will be directed by Warm Bodies filmmaker Jonathan Levine. Grey will also executive produce.

Production is scheduled to begin filming later this year with a planned release date in 2024.

Dirty Dancing tells the story of a young woman (Grey) who falls in love with dance instructor Johnny Castle (Patrick Swayze) at her family summer camp.

Swayze died in 2009, with the production team on the sequel reportedly in touch with his estate and discussing ways that the actor’s presence can still be incorporated into the film.

Director Levine said: “While the original Dirty Dancing has always been one of my favourite 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 Nineties 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.”

Grey, who has this month released her autobiography Out of the Corner, has said in a recent interview that Swayze apologised to her in tears before their chemistry test for Dirty Dancing after he put her off with “macho” behaviour.

“He pulled me down the hall and said to me, ‘I love you, I love you and I’m so sorry. And I know you don’t want me to do the movie,’” she recalled. “He got the tears in his eyes. And I got the tears in my eyes, not for the same reason. I was like, ‘Oh, this guy’s working me.’

“And he goes, ‘We could kill it. We could kill it if we did this’ and I was like, ‘OK, honey.’ We go in there and he takes me in his arms and I was like, ‘Oh, boy. I’m done.’ There was no competition.”