“Now I've had the time of my life…”, sang Bill Medley in 1987 to accompany the dance steps of Jennifer Gray and Patrick Swayze.
A real global phenomenon at the time, the indestructible
Dirty Dancing
still punctuates Sunday evening movie nights, nearly 40 years after its release.
After a few more or less successful
television spin-offs and
remakes
,
an official sequel to Emile Ardolino's film has been announced for 2024, sending fans into a frenzy.
To discover
To listen > our Scandals podcast "Tom Cruise: the mysteries of a life between Hollywood and Scientology"
Read also“We don’t leave Baby in a corner”: this cult phrase that Patrick Swayze did not want to pronounce
This new version will be directed by Jonathan Levine (
Warm Bodies
,
Seduce me if you can!
), who also co-wrote the screenplay with Elizabeth Chomko (
What They Had
).
Although filming has yet to begin, a lot of information has already come to light, making this production "one of Hollywood's worst-kept secrets."
On video,
Dirty Dancing
(1987), the trailer
Trip in 1987
Contrary to what one might think, the story of the new
Dirty Dancing
will not take place in our time... but in the 1990s. Return to the seaside resort of the Kellerman family, in the Catskills region, where place a new romance takes place involving a young couple.
According to
Deadline,
a soundtrack to the rhythm of the time will accompany the story.
"Although the original
Dirty Dancing
has always been one of my favorite movies, I never imagined directing the sequel," Jonathan Levine told
Deadline .
, Tuesday, May 9.
“While co-writing it, I fell in love with the characters, new and old, of this beautiful Catskills region of upstate New York, of the 1990s and the music that punctuated them, especially hip-hop.”
For his part, Lionsgate CEO Jon Feltheimer told the same
Deadline
that fans will be able to rediscover the atmosphere of the 1987 production. it is very normal;
they are the ones who made this film the biggest success in our history as a distributor.”
Jennifer Grey, the return
For this new
Dirty Dancing,
Baby will not be left in a corner.
Indeed, the film team has announced that Jennifer Grey, who played Frederique Houseman alias Baby in the 1987 film, will be part of the cast.
"I look forward to collaborating with Jennifer Gray to deliver this beautiful story of summer, romance and dance to a generation of new fans," says Jonathan Levine.
“And to longtime fans, I promise we won't ruin your childhood.
We will tackle this mission with sophistication, ambition and, above all, love.”
In addition to being the star of the feature film, Jennifer Gray will also be the producer.
If, in 2017, she had refused to appear in the
remake
signed Wayne Blair, it would seem that she has finally changed
Listen: the editorial staff podcast
A tribute to Patrick Swayze
According to the director, Jennifer Gray may not be the only one to reconnect with the world of
Dirty Dancing
.
He clarified that the team would contact some of the original cast members.
Even if everyone knows that the absolute hero of the film will be missing, Patrick Swayze, alias Johnny Castle, having died of pancreatic cancer in 2009, the production team would be in discussion with the heirs of the actor for include his character in a respectful way.
"Johnny is part of Baby's journey through history," the director told
Deadline
.
“This film exists because it is in dialogue with the original.
We want to present this story to a whole new generation and the absence of Johnny weighs heavily in the narrative.
So it's a coming of age story, for Baby but in a way, also for all the fans."