‘Paddington’ Filmmaker Paul King to Direct Tom Holland’s Fred Astaire Movie for Sony (Exclusive) https://t.co/AQmlIwcmgO

— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) February 13, 2023

Tom Holland told us he was going to take a little break from acting after Spider-Man: No Way Home. It was always intended to be a breather, not semi-retirement or such. He assured us of that by announcing projects he had in the works, like a biopic on Fred Astaire in which he’d play Astaire. But there was no other information at that time. Well Tom is still chilling out, sadly as we all hoped to see him as a Super Bowl half-time show cameo, but the Astaire film is moving forward. It has a direction and a director, according to The Hollywood Reporter. None other than Paddington mastermind Paul King has signed on. And now we know what the movie will be about – Fred and his sister Adele’s early vaudeville act and her decision to end it at their height after she married.

Paul King, the director of the Paddington movies, is putting on his dancing shoes.

King has come aboard to direct Sony Pictures’ untitled Fred Astaire drama that has Tom Holland attached to star as the golden age film and dance star.

Sony is keeping the logline details under the top hat, but it is known that the project centers on the relationship between Astaire and his sister, Adele Astaire. The two were inseparable for more than 20 years, moving out of a simple Midwestern vaudeville act in the early part of the 20th century to Broadway and London’s West End in the 1920s. Adele Astaire was initially the face of the act, but eventually, Fred’s consummate stage skills eclipsed hers. The duo parted in 1932 when the sister married, which was a blow to Fred, but it also turned his focus toward Hollywood dance musicals, and subsequently set him on the path to cinematic immortality.

[From The Hollywood Reporter]

I can already see the Paddington and Tom dancing memes. I assume this is great news. I thought the Paddington movies were fine, but I didn’t quite find them as enchanting as everyone else on my Twitter feed did. But Tom is as endearing as the CGI bear so Paul should know how to use him best. I’m kidding! They are both good at their jobs and I’m sure this will be fine. I don’t know what else to say. I’m still really just here for the dancing.

Kaiser informed me that this is one of two Fred Astaire films in the works. Jamie Bell and Margaret Qualley are working on a Fred Astaire and Ginger Rodgers movie. That, too, will focus on the early part of their relationship and the crucial point that set them on the path to become the legendary partners they became. So both films are taking “ …and the rest is history” angles. But I am still concerned that they both center around a man who forbade his life from ever being turned into a film. Why not make the women in the film the focus and at least semi-honor his wishes? And I hate that I’m interested in the projects because I love Astaire’s work so much, I do kind of want to see his process on the big screen. But then I’ll feel bad for going against his wishes.

Even though I’m conflicted, if Paul King can get Hugh Grant in Tom’s movie, I’m in. Hugh can play Noel Coward.

xEmbed from Getty Images

Embed from Getty Images

This unfortunate hair situation is because Tom’s filming A Crowded Room

Photo credit: Twitter, Getty Images, Cover Images and Maria Laura Antonelli/AGF Foto/Avalon