Paul King is ready to tune up the band, as the filmmaker has been hired by Sony to direct a Fred Astaire biopic, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Tom Holland had been previously announced as attached to star in the movie, which will focus on Astaire's relationship with his sister, Adele. The Astaire siblings found plenty of success with their live shows, going from the Midwest to Broadway and London's West End. After Adele got married in 1932, the act stopped, leaving Fred to perform by himself. What he found after he couldn't perform with his sister anymore were valuable opportunities that would turn him into a Hollywood icon.
It appears that Holland is going back to his theater roots, as the actor spent most of his time on stage before being cast in major Hollywood titles, such as the Spider-Man films. When he was a kid, the actor starred as Michael Caffrey, Billy Elliot's best friend, in the West End production of the play. After a few months, he would be promoted the lead role of the show. Holland is also trained in gymnastics and acrobatics as part of his background as a theater performer, so the fact that the actor is interested in a project about one of the best live performers in history shouldn't come as a surprise.
King is known for directing the Paddington films. Starring Ben Wishaw as the voice of the adorable bear, the movies tell the story of the titular hero, who is adopted by the Brown family after leaving the jungles of "Darkest Peru". While it is unclear if fans will get a third Paddington installment, King is keeping himself busy in the meantime, as the director is currently working on a Willy Wonka prequel starring Timothée Chalamet. The project will follow the character during the adventures he had in his youth, before he went on to open his iconic chocolate factory. It is scheduled to hit theaters on December 15.
Holland has played Peter Parker in six Marvel Cinematic Universe films. After 2021's smash hit, Spider-Man: No Way Home, there hasn't been an official announcement regarding the actor coming back to play the web-slinger. While Kevin Feige has indicated that things are going smoothly with Sony and what happened in 2019 wouldn't happen again, a release date or a title for a sequel would certainly go a long way in reassuring fans. Amy Pascal, who produces the Spider-Man films with Feige, is attached as a producer for the Fred Astaire project for Sony. While an official Spider-Man announcement hasn't been made yet, at least fans can be satisfied in knowing that the actor, studio and producer are still firmly working together.