Fans of the beloved 1987 romance flick Dirty Dancing have reacted in their droves after Lionsgate officially confirmed that a sequel is happening.
The studio announced on Tuesday that Jennifer Grey will be stepping back into the shoes of Frances 'Baby' Houseman, the role that made her a household name nearly four decades ago.
Ms Grey isn't just starring in the follow-up, though. She's also taking on executive producer duties, giving her a significant creative stake in how the project develops.
Production is set to kick off later this year, marking the first major update since the sequel was initially revealed at CinemaCon back in 2022.
Actors Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze attended the premiere of Dirty Dancing at the Gemini Theater in 1987
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It's been a long wait for devotees of the original film, which became a cultural phenomenon and earned more than $200 million (£144 million) worldwide.
The film's producers are Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson, the duo responsible for The Hunger Games and Crazy Rich Asians.
Kim Rosenstock, best known as the showrunner of Dying for Sex, has been brought on board to pen the screenplay.
Ms Grey shared her excitement about returning to the character in a statement released alongside the sequel announcement.
The original film earned more than £144 million worldwide
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She said: "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."
She added: "I'm excited to say that it looks like the wait will soon be over!"
The announcement hasn't exactly been met with universal joy, however.
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Jennifer Grey is taking on executive producer duties for the reboot
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Social media has erupted with fans expressing serious concerns about how the franchise can possibly continue without Patrick Swayze, who passed away from pancreatic cancer in 2009 at the age of 57.
"Wait what? How can you make a Dirty Dancing sequel WITH Jennifer Grey but WITHOUT Patrick Swayze?" one fan wrote on X, while another posted: "That's disrespectful to Patrick Swayze. Nobody asked for a sequel to Dirty Dancing at all."
A third penned: "This is unnecessary and insulting with Patrick gone."
Others were even more blunt in their assessment. "Absolutely not. He is gone and no one can replace him," one commenter declared. (sic)
Patrick Swayze passed away from pancreatic cancer in 2009 at the age of 57
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"Why? Seriously, why? This is just a bad idea all the way around. Dirty Dancing is a timeless classic that should be left alone," another fan insisted.
Ms Grey has previously addressed concerns about Mr Swayze's absence.
Back in 2020, she reassured fans that a sequel would never attempt to replicate what she and her late co-star shared on screen.
"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 told People at the time. "You just go for something different."
Mr Swayze played Johnny Castle in the original Dirty Dancing
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Lionsgate Motion Picture Group Chairman Adam Fogelson expressed confidence in the team they've assembled for the project.
He said: "'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 described the production team as "the perfect team" and confirmed the studio is "moving full steam ahead" with the theatrical release.
Not everyone has been entirely dismissive of the project, however. Some fans have struck a more cautious tone about what lies ahead.
"Honestly kind of excited but also nervous," one admitted. "Dirty Dancing is a classic, it's hard to touch that magic again. I just hope they respect the original and don't turn it into a cheap reboot."
Several people pointed out that this wouldn't technically be the first attempt at a follow-up. Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights arrived in 2004 with Diego Luna and Romola Garai in the lead roles, though it received largely unfavourable reviews from critics.