All those that indulged in the romance classic, Dirty Dancing in 1987, will be pleased to know that Frances "Baby" Houseman, played by Jennifer Grey, is coming back after she first stole the heart of Johnny Castle, the late Patrick Swayze.
Jennifer Grey’s most well known role is definitely Frances “Baby” Houseman. For this role, she was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy in 1988.
Grey will also be an executive producer, as well as an actor, in the follow-up movie with Jonathan Levine as director. Levine has directed films such as Long Shot (2019), Warm Bodies (2013), and 50/50 (2011).
You can thank Lionsgate for bringing back the iconic story of a vacationer, Baby, who found love with her dancing instructor at a holiday resort she went to with her family.
According to Lionsgate CEO Jon Feltheimer: “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.”
There has been some backlash revolving around the sequel due to the fact that Swayze will not be able to bring his character back to life as he himself passed away in 2009 with pancreatic cancer at 57 years old.
The film’s key song, [I’ve Had] The Time of My Life, won an Oscar and a Golden Globe. According to The Guardian, the thrilling scene when the couple danced to the song, in which they nailed the perfect lift, became an iconic pop cultural reference, that we still talk about to this day.
In the original film, directed by Emile Ardolino, within seven months of release, it had brought in $63 million in the US and attendance in dance classes increased across America. It was one of the highest-grossing films of 1987, earning $170 million worldwide. (Source: Emagine Theater, a Midwest based chain).
According to CNN, the original film inspired other projects consisting of "Dirty Dancing" TV series, a TV movie, a musical, and the 2004 film "Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights." The 2004 spin off film starred Diego Luna and Romola Garai, and was set in 1958 Cuba. Though inspired by a huge franchise, the spin off however, had very moderate reviews and did not make it as big as the original.