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Dirty Dancing Sequel Won’t Recast Patrick Swayze’s Character

Dirty Dancing Sequel Won’t Recast Patrick Swayze’s Character

A sequel to the iconic 1987 film was confirmed earlier this year

Gregory Robinson

Gregory Robinson

Earlier this year we found out a Dirty Dancing sequel was officially happening and now we have some news regarding the cast.

The late Patrick Swayze's character, Johnny Castle, will not be recast, star Jennifer Grey has announced.

Patrick Swayze doing the iconic lift in Dirty Dancing (1987) (
Vestron Pictures)

In an interview with People, Grey discussed the highly anticipated sequel and teased how the film will address Swayze's absence. "All I can say is there is no replacing anyone who's passed - you never try to repeat anything that's magic like that," she said. "You just go for something different."

Grey will be reprising her role as Frances 'Baby' Houseman *and* she will executive produce the project too!

Swayze played Baby's dance instructor and love interested. Sadly, he passed away from pancreatic cancer in 2009.

The 1987 film is undoubtedly one of the most beloved movies and was a huge box office success upon release.

Jennifer Grey will executive produce the sequel (
Vestron Pictures)

It followed the story of Baby who goes on holiday to upscale Kellerman's Resort with her family during the summer of 1963. She meets a dance instructor, Johnny, who she ends up falling in love with after she volunteers to take part in a dance competition after his original partner has to drop out.

Grey also explained why she thinks the original movie became such a classic. "It's appeal was that it was very genuine and simple," she said. "It was about innocence and the way that innocence is lost and how people explode into a different iteration of themselves."

The film won an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for Best Original Song for '(I've Had) The time of My Life', by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes.

A sequel was confirmed in August by Lionsgate CEO Jon Feltheimer.

He told Deadline: "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."

Featured Image Credit: Vestron Pictures

Topics: TV and Film