Tom Holland has found his co-stars for his long-gestating passion project: an untitled Fred Astaire biopic for Sony Pictures. Margaret Qualley and Sabrina Carpenter have joined the film, with Margaret Qualley playing Adele Astaire, Fred’s older sister and first professional dance partner, and Sabrina Carpenter playing Ginger Rogers, the partner who would later define his Hollywood career. Tom Holland first revealed he would be leading the project nearly five years ago, back in 2021.
The film traces Fred and Adele Astaire’s journey from a simple Vaudeville act in the American Midwest to stardom on Broadway and London’s West End, before the siblings’ paths diverged, with Adele settling into a quieter life while Fred’s career ascended to new heights in Hollywood alongside his new dance partner, Ginger Rogers. Fred and Rogers went on to star together in nine films between 1933 and 1939, including Top Hat, Swing Time, and Shall We Dance, before reuniting one final time in 1949’s The Barkleys of Broadway.
Paul King, the director behind Paddington and Wonka, will direct the film from a script he co-wrote with Steven Levenson, known for Dear Evan Hansen and Fosse/Verdon. The screenplay is based on Kathleen Riley’s 2012 biography The Astaires: Fred & Adele, with Riley also serving as a script and story consultant on the project. Speaking about the casting, King said, “I am thrilled and honored to have been entrusted with telling the story of Fred Astaire and his original dance partner, his big sister Adele, to the big screen. Fred left a timeless legacy of dance on film, most famously in his collaborations with Ginger Rogers, while Adele’s work has been lost to history; indeed, no footage of her dancing survives. The cinematic challenge of bringing to life these icons of the 20th century is one that I could not imagine without Tom Holland, Margaret Qualley and Sabrina Carpenter by my side.”
The project also carries the direct backing of Fred Astaire’s own family. Ava Astaire McKenzie, Fred’s daughter, is supporting the film, with her son Tyler McKenzie serving as a consultant and co-producer. “I’m delighted to support this endeavor to celebrate the extraordinary careers and enduring legacy of my father and aunt, who were among the biggest musical stars of their era,” Astaire McKenzie said. “With Kathleen Riley’s seminal biography as its foundation, and the creative team in place, the story of their partnership both on and off the stage is in the best care.”
The film is being produced by Amy Pascal and Rachel O’Connor for Pascal Pictures, Ben Holden and Josh Hyams for Lightbulb Pictures, and Holland himself through his own Billy17 banner. Executive producers include Harry Holland and Will South for Billy17, Will Clarke and Andy Mayson for Altitude Films, and Steven Levenson.
For Tom Holland, the role marks a full-circle return to his roots as a trained stage dancer, having played the title role in Billy Elliot the Musical on London’s West End from 2008 to 2010, well before his breakout as Spider-Man. The casting news arrives during an especially high-profile stretch for the actor, following his roles in Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, now Universal’s highest-grossing film of all time, and Spider-Man: Brand New Day, currently the highest-grossing film at the domestic box office this year.
Margaret Qualley, a classically trained ballet dancer, brings her own strong recent run to the project, including a Golden Globe nomination for The Substance and a starring role in The Dog Stars alongside Jacob Elordi. Her other credits include Poor Things, Maid, Drive-Away Dolls, and Kinds of Kindness.
Sabrina Carpenter, a two-time Grammy winner, recently earned her first Primetime Emmy nomination for her work as an executive producer and performer on The Muppet Show, and previously appeared in Work It and The Hate U Give.
With Tom Holland’s five-year passion project finally moving into full production and two major stars now set alongside him, this Fred Astaire biopic is shaping up to be one of the more anticipated awards-adjacent musicals heading toward Sony’s future release calendar.