Tom Holland has been cast as Fred Astaire in an upcoming biopic that will be released by Sony Pictures. The Spider-Man star confirmed the news yesterday to AP while he was promoting his upcoming third solo film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), No Way Home, in his native London.
Holland confirmed the news after one of the producers he’s working with on No Way Home, Amy Pascal, recently told GQ that she wants him to play Astair in the forthcoming biopic, which is still untitled. She added that she also wants Holland to star in another trilogy of Spider-Man movies.
“The script came in a week ago,” the the BAFTA Award-winning actor revealed while promoting Spider-Man: No Way Home. “I haven’t read it yet; they haven’t given it to me.”
Pascal has received the script, though, Holland added. “She FaceTimed me earlier. I was in the bath,” he admitted with a laugh. “And we had a lovely FaceTime, but I will be playing Fred Astaire.”
The news that Holland will portray Astaire, who garnered fame as an actor, singer and dancer in the Golden Age of Hollywood, comes after the former began his acting career on the London stage. He played the title role in Billy Elliot the Musical on the West End from 2008 to 2010.
Regarded as the one of the greatest popular music dancers of all time, Astaire starred in more than 30 film musicals. He also garnered success on Broadway and the West End over the course of his seven-decade career. He’s most remembered for his collaborations with Ginger Rogers, as they starred in several movies together from 1933-1949, including Swing Time, The Gay Divorcee and Top Hat.
In addition to Holland’s biopic, another Astaire biographical film is currently in development. Jamie Bell, who originated the role of Billy Elliot in the Oscar-nominated 2000 movie, will also play Astaire on screen.
It was previously announced that Amazon Studios will be producing the film, which is titled Fred & Ginger, and will focus the on and off-screen romance between Astaire and Rogers. Bell will be joined on screen by Once Upon a Time in Hollyood actress Margaret Qualley in the second titular role of Rogers.