Baby won’t be in the corner for much longer as Lionsgate‘s planned Dirty Dancing sequel moves forward.
The studio announced Tuesday that producers Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson will oversee the feature project that is aiming to begin production later this year. Additionally, Kim Rosenstock (Dying for Sex) is writing the script.
Jennifer Grey was previously announced to executive produce and reprise her role of Frances “Baby” Houseman that originated in director Emile Ardolino’s 1987 original movie that also starred the late Patrick Swayze. A director has not been announced, as Jonathan Levine, who was previously attached to helm the sequel, is still set to serve as executive producer but will not direct.
Jacobson and Simpson’s production company Color Force is currently behind Lionsgate’s The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, set to hit theaters Nov. 20, 2026. They are also executive producers on Ryan Murphy’s forthcoming FX series Love Story: John F. Kennedy, Jr. and Carolyn Bessette. Jacobson has produced all of the films in the Hunger Games franchise, and her previous feature work with Simpson includes Crazy Rich Asians.
Rosenstock co-created the Michelle Williams-led Hulu series Dying for Sex and serves as executive producer on Love Story: John F. Kennedy, Jr. and Carolyn Bessette. Rosenstock, whose credits include Only Murders in the Building and GLOW, is represented by WME, Mosaic and Johnson Shapiro.
Released on Aug. 21, 1987, Dirty Dancing centered on Baby (Grey) falling for dance instructor Johnny Castle (Swayze) at the Kellerman’s resort in the 1960s. It was a major hit, collecting $214 million at the global box office ($608 million today) and winning the best original song Oscar for signature tune “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life.” The film spawned a 2004 prequel, Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights, a stage musical and a 2017 TV remake that aired on ABC.
“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,” Lionsgate Motion Picture Group chair Adam Fogelson says in a statement. “We are beyond thrilled to announce we have assembled the perfect team to carry this film forward in partnership with Jennifer Grey. There are no better producers for this movie than our longtime partners and friends Nina and Brad from The Hunger Games, and we could not be more excited to have Kim coming on board to write. With this super team now in place, we are moving full steam ahead so that both existing fans and new audiences can discover the magic, the music and the emotion that is Dirty Dancing in a new theatrical film meant for the big screen.”
Grey adds, “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. 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… and I’m excited to say that It looks like the wait will soon be over!”
In her own statement, Jacobson says, “Dirty Dancing is that rare film that is as emotional, exhilarating and rebellious today as it was the year it was released. To be able to work with Jennifer Grey and Lionsgate on the sequel is a genuine joy for Brad and me. We feel so fortunate to have been invited back to Kellerman’s for one more dance.”
Meredith Wieck and Maria Ascanio will oversee the Dirty Dancing sequel for Lionsgate. Phil Strina negotiated the deals on behalf of the studio.
