All has been quiet on the Dirty Dancing remake front in recent years, and the mooted rumors swirling around the project’s casting department only cast doubt over its chances of earning the green light. That ends today with the addition of Scream Queens‘ Abigail Breslin, who is now attached to portray the role made famous by Jennifer Grey in the 1987 original.
Word comes by way of Deadline, though the outlet cautions that ABC won’t set the wheels in motion on its three-hour remake until the role of Johnny Castle (originally brought to life by Patrick Swayze) has been filled. Originally pitched as a full feature film in 2012, Lionsgate’s Dirty Dancing retelling stumbled into one roadblock after another, and when production halted before it could even begin, the remake trickled down to Lionsgate TV. Rubbing shoulders with fellow long-gestating remake The Rocky Horror Picture Show, it’s understood that the plan is for Dirty Dancing to be a filmed remake, as opposed to a live event.
As for story, the network looks set to tread a similar path to the beloved original movie, with Breslin playing the part of Jennifer Grey, an innocent young woman who holidays with her affluent parents, and falls in love with dance instructor Johnny Castle against their best wishes.
With Breslin’s slot all but confirmed, behind the lens ABC has also recruited Hunger Games producer Allison Shearmur along with Eleanor Bergsteinof, the screenwriter who penned the ’87 original. Beyond that, Wayne Blair (The Sapphires) is on board to direct while Andy Blankenbuehler will oversee dance choreography.
Will ABC’s Dirty Dancing sweep Breslin off her feet as Jennifer Grey? It’s too soon to tell, though we’ll keep you posted as this story develops.
