Tom Holland's Fred Astaire film is down to two trained dancers for the role of his sister

If you thought Tom Holland was going to take a breather after web-slinging his way through the summer box office, think again. The bloke is gearing up to swap spandex for tap shoes in a proper old-school turn: Holland's lined up to play screen legend Fred Astaire in a new biopic, and it's already attracting a fair bit of buzz—starting with speculation over who'll be cast alongside him as Astaire's sister and dance partner, Adele Astaire.

West End to Hollywood

So here’s where it gets interesting. According to the latest tip-offs, both Margaret Qualley and Monica Barbaro are currently being considered for the Adele role. Pair of good shouts—both women are actual, properly trained ballet dancers, so the producers aren’t just picking names out of a hat. Bit of movie trivia for you: not that long ago, Qualley was attached to a completely different Astaire project (that one was going to star Jamie Bell), but it never actually got off the ground. If she nabs this, it’ll be a bit of a second swing at the legend.

Qualley and Barbaro are reportedly front-runners for Adele Astaire, with their dance backgrounds giving them an edge for the physically demanding role.

Let's flash back a bit for context. Fred and Adele Astaire were a formidable brother-sister act, dominating both stage and screen for decades—before Fred went solo and transformed the movie musical entirely. Adele retired fairly young, but while she was at it, she gave Fred a proper run for his money in the talent department. Not just some decorative sibling, she was a main draw in her own right.

Holland's Next Test

Holland himself is not just popping on some tap shoes and winging it. No, he’s thrown himself right into serious dance rehearsals. He had a bit to say about that, and you could tell he’s well aware of the pressure:

During the Spider-Man: Brand New Day promotional circuit, he admitted there’s quite a mountain to climb, balancing excitement and outright terror at the prospect of pulling off a convincing Fred Astaire. Here’s how Holland put it while on the press trail:

‘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.’

It’s not as if Holland hasn’t got box office muscle these days. Fresh off back-to-back billion-dollar hits—The Odyssey and Brand New Day—he’s suddenly one of those rare actors who can actually pack out cinemas even when he’s not wearing Marvel-branded lycra. It’s also clear he sees this Astaire film as a chance to move the career dial in a different direction. In his own words, he’s chasing “the ultimate challenge”—the type of role that genuinely frightens him, not just pays the bills.

Forget superheroics for a minute; this one’s shaping up as a proper test of whether Holland’s got the chops for classic Hollywood territory, or if he’ll just trip over his own feet trying to fill Fred’s shoes.