20 Announced Movie Sequels NOBODY Expected

9. Dirty Dancing 2

Dirty Dancing is undeniably one of the most iconic films of the 1980s and has spawned a dubious franchise consisting of a TV series, a 2004 prequel, and various stage productions and reality TV spin-offs.

Yet a direct sequel has eluded the IP for the better part of 40 years.

In 2020 Dirty Dancing 2 was said to be in development with star Jennifer Grey set to return and Jonathan Levine (The Night Before) tapped to direct for a February 2024 release, though this date came and went without the film gaining any meaningful traction.

With Hollywood strike action causing pre-production to be paused, it seemed like this might be one of the many potential films thrown into turnaround from which it never recovers - especially with the obvious handicap of Grey's co-star Patrick Swayze having passed away back in 2009.

But after years of "it's definitely happening!," Lionsgate announced in January that Dirty Dancing 2 was indeed going ahead with a script from Kim Rosenstock (Dying for Sex).