Tom Holland embraces dance challenge for Fred Astaire film

Tom Holland revealed fresh details about his upcoming Fred Astaire biopic, saying he plans to perform every dance sequence himself and hopes to film them in single takes to honour the legendary performer.

The actor shared the update during an appearance on Good Morning America, explaining that the long-awaited project is expected to be his next film after he finishes promoting The Odyssey and Spider-Man: Brand New Day.

Dance challenge awaits

Holland said he recently completed his first rehearsals and will soon return to the dance studio to prepare for the demanding role.

He admitted the experience left him feeling both excited and intimidated, describing the challenge of matching Astaire's iconic dancing as something that fills him with "absolute dread" because of the work still ahead.

Despite that, Holland said he wants to avoid using dance doubles. Instead, he hopes to perform every routine himself and capture the performances in uninterrupted takes, reflecting the way Astaire famously filmed many of his classic dance numbers.

Long-awaited project

Holland first confirmed in 2021 that he would portray Astaire in the Sony biopic, which is being produced by Amy Pascal. The film will be directed by Paul King, with a screenplay by Steven Levenson.

The project is separate from Amazon and Automatik's Fred & Ginger, which stars Jamie Bell as Astaire and Margaret Qualley as Ginger Rogers.

Holland's casting carries added significance given his own dance background. Before becoming a film star, he performed in the West End production of Billy Elliot: The Musical, where he eventually took on the lead role after initially playing Michael Caffrey. That early stage experience now serves as preparation for one of the biggest performance challenges of his career.