Swayze starred as the beloved Johnny Castle in the iconic flick, which was first released in August of 1987. The late actor tragically passed in 2009, following a battle with pancreatic cancer. It was first announced in 2020 that the film would be getting a sequel, which is slated for release in 2024. During the 66-year-old’s conversation with Entertainment Tonight earlier this week, in light of the upcoming 35th anniversary of Dirty Dancing, Niemi said her husband would have opted out of the project. “He would not do it again,” she told ET’s Kevin Frazier. “[The way they] left it was absolutely perfect. There were several iterations of a script for that movie, but Patrick had a high standard and wasn’t gonna do it just for the money.” She went on to say, “Dirty Dancing was like lightning in a bottle. I don’t think you can ever absolutely duplicate something.” Even though Niemi feels that the upcoming film could never live up to her beloved husband’s unforgettable performance, she still has high hopes for the project. “I think you always have to start fresh, but if they’re going to do it, I hope it’s the absolute best and it has its own character, and personality, and source of inspiration,” she said. Niemi also reminisced on the love her late husband received from fans after Dirty Dancing hit the big screen, which has still continued in the years since his death. “It’s really incredible,” she said. “When Patrick was still alive, he would always say, ‘I’m on my second generation of fans’…He’d get approached by young ladies who weren’t even born when the movie came out.” For any artist, she said, what more could you ask for than “for their work to live on like that and make such an impact in such a positive way.” According to Variety, filmmakers on the Dirty Dancing sequel are in conversations with Swayze’s estate to incorporate his presence in the film in some way. The late actor’s co-star, Jennifer Grey, will also reprise her role as Frances “Baby” Houseman. More News: • Gabrielle Union Shares Very Spicy Bikini Pics With Husband Dwyane Wade •TV Executive Insults Emilia Clarke at ‘Game of Thrones’ Spin-Off Screening • Bill Nye Dips His Toes Into Horror With New Show ‘The End Is Nye’
