Lionsgate has confirmed that Jennifer Grey will reprise her iconic role as Frances "Baby" Houseman in the upcoming "Dirty Dancing" sequel, with production scheduled to begin later this year.

The 65-year-old actress will return to the character that earned her a Golden Globe nomination nearly four decades ago, and will also serve as an executive producer on the project. The announcement comes as the studio assembles a high-profile team to bring the sequel to life, including producers Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson, known for their work on "The Hunger Games" and "Crazy Rich Asians."

Kim Rosenstock, the Emmy and Golden Globe-nominated showrunner of "Dying for Sex" who also won the 2025 Humanitas Prize for that series, will write the screenplay. Jonathan Levine, who was originally attached to direct, will now serve as an executive producer, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

The sequel was first announced at CinemaCon in 2022, but faced delays due to Hollywood strikes and script development. With production now set to commence in 2026, the film is expected to be released in 2027, coinciding with the 40th anniversary of the original movie.

Grey expressed her emotional connection to the character in a statement. "The role of Baby has held a very deep and meaningful place in my heart, as it has in the hearts of so many fans over the years," she said. "I've long wondered where we might find Baby years later and what her life might be like, but it's taken time to assemble the kind of people that I felt could be entrusted to build on the legacy of the original film."

Adam Fogelson, chair of the Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, emphasized the importance of assembling the right team for the project. "'Dirty Dancing' remains as beloved today as it was upon its initial release, and we knew that a very special group of people would have to come together for fans to embrace a return to Kellerman's," he stated, The Wrap reported.

The original "Dirty Dancing" was released in August 1987 and became a massive sleeper hit, earning over $214 million worldwide on a budget of just $6 million. The film starred Grey alongside Patrick Swayze, who played dance instructor Johnny Castle. Swayze passed away from pancreatic cancer in 2009 at age 57.

Grey previously acknowledged that the sequel would not attempt to replicate the chemistry she shared with Swayze. "What I can tell you is there is no replacing anyone who's passed," she told People magazine. "You would never try to repeat anything that's magic like that. You just go for something different."​

The sequel will mark Grey's first return to the character since the original film, though there have been other attempts to expand the franchise, including the 2004 prequel "Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights" and a Broadway musical adaptation, as per the Nerdist.

Producer Nina Jacobson expressed enthusiasm about the project, calling "Dirty Dancing" a unique film that "remains as emotional, thrilling, and rebellious today as it was upon its release." No release date has been officially announced for the sequel.

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Jennifer grey, Dirty Dancing, Sequel, Lionsgate