After spending the summer promoting Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey and Marvel’s Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Tom Holland has confirmed that his long-awaited Fred Astaire biopic will be his next project. The actor shared the update during an appearance on Good Morning America, revealing that once his promotional commitments conclude, he will immediately return to the dance studio to begin intensive preparations for what he describes as one of the biggest challenges of his career.
“For me, what I love about my job is the challenges,” Holland said. “We have Fred Astaire next, is what we’re planning on doing. And as soon as I finish with these tours, I’m diving back into the dance studio.”
Although the project has been in development for several years, Holland’s latest comments offer the clearest indication yet that the film is finally moving forward. The actor also revealed that he has already completed his first dance rehearsals, admitting that stepping into the shoes of one of Hollywood’s greatest entertainers has left him feeling both inspired and overwhelmed.
“I did my first few rehearsals recently, and it both filled me with excitement and absolute dread because I’ve got so much work to do to try and do Fred proud,” Holland said.
Rather than relying on the experience he gained through years of dance training, Holland appears to be approaching the role with humility. Fred Astaire is widely regarded as one of the greatest dancers in film history, celebrated for his extraordinary precision, effortless elegance, and groundbreaking choreography. His performances continue to influence dancers, choreographers, and filmmakers decades after his career, making the role one of the most demanding musical performances any modern actor could attempt.
One of the biggest revelations from Holland’s interview was his determination to perform every dance sequence himself. The actor said he wants to avoid using dance doubles entirely and hopes to film the routines in uninterrupted takes, following the same approach that Astaire famously preferred throughout his career.
“I have a desire to use no doubles, to do all of the dancing, to shoot those dances in one shot—how he would have done it,” Holland explained.
Astaire was known for insisting that audiences should see choreography unfold naturally, often favoring long, full-body takes that showcased the performers’ movements without excessive editing. By adopting the same philosophy, Holland is aiming to honor not only Astaire’s dancing but also the cinematic style that helped redefine the Hollywood musical.
The role also marks a return to Holland’s own roots as a performer. Long before becoming one of Hollywood’s most recognizable stars through the Spider-Man films, he trained extensively as a dancer and played the title role in Billy Elliot: The Musical on London’s West End between 2008 and 2010, after initially appearing as Billy’s best friend, Michael Caffrey. His dance and gymnastics background later became an important part of his athletic portrayal of Spider-Man, but Holland has acknowledged that portraying Astaire demands an entirely different level of technical precision and artistry.
The untitled Fred Astaire biopic was first announced in 2021 when Holland revealed that he had been cast as the legendary dancer and choreographer. The film is being directed by Paul King, whose credits include Paddington, Paddington 2, and Wonka, from a screenplay by Steven Levenson. Amy Pascal is producing the project for Sony Pictures, with the film expected to chronicle the life and legacy of one of the most influential performers in cinema history.
The project also represents another significant step for Holland in broadening his career beyond superhero blockbusters. Following a summer dominated by The Odyssey and Spider-Man: Brand New Day, the actor is now preparing for a role that will test not only his acting abilities but also his musical and physical talents. If his commitment to performing every routine himself is any indication, audiences can expect Holland to pursue authenticity as he attempts to capture the grace, precision, and enduring legacy of Fred Astaire on the big screen.
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