Paul King, the director of the two celebrated “Paddington” films, has been set to direct the untitled Fred Astaire drama in the works at Sony Pictures.
“Spider-Man” star Tom Holland is attached to play the golden age film and dance star in the film with specific details under wraps.
All that is known plot-wise is that it will center on the relationship between Astaire and his sister Adele Astaire, the pair inseparable for more than twenty years as a Midwest vaudeville act in the early part of the 20th Century to performing together on Broadway and London’s West end in the 1920s.
His skills soon eclipsed hers and the duo parted in 1932 when she married. Whilst that separation was a blow to Fred, it thrust him into cinema immortality.
Lee Hall, who wrote both “Rocketman” and the “Billy Elliot” film which became a stage musical Holland starred in as a kid, is now rewriting the script by Noah Pink. Amy Pascal, Rachael O’Conner, Ben Holden and Josh Hyams are producing.
This project is not to be confused with Amazon’s film which has cast Jamie Bell and Margaret Qualley as Astaire and Ginger Rogers respectively. King most recently wrapped production on “Wonka,” the Willy Wonka origin story starring Timothée Chalamet.
Source: THR
