'Dirty Dancing' Remake Coming Soon, Gets a 'High School' Director

Love it, hate it, or feel completely neutral toward it, there's a "Dirty Dancing" remake on the horizon. The 80's dance-romance is due to get a re-imagining and as swift a release as possible, presumably to follow on the heels of the "Footloose" remake.

Lionsgate has reportedly already lined up the director for the movie, and his name is Kenny Ortega. Chances are you haven't heard of him, but if the name does sound familiar it's probably because he's the guy who directed "High School Musical." So it seems as though Lionsgate has just the right man for the job.

Even more than that, Ortega has a strong connection to the original "Dirty Dancing." He didn't direct it, but he did choreograph the thing. So, that famous lift? That's Ortega's doing.

I'm assuming Lionsgate is hoping that his deep-seated involvement with the original will keep fans from raging against the remake too much.

Of course, you could call this new "Dirty Dancing" a reboot, considering that the original had the "Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights" sequel follow it a couple of decades later. You have to wonder if this and "Footloose" will spur on a string of other 80's musical remakes. Will "Grease" get an update? How about "Flashdance?" Maybe "Little Shop of Horrors?" Oh, wait, they're already planning on that one.

I, for one, blame Ryan Gosling for this one.