Tom Holland's Fred Astaire biopic has found the women who'll shape its story. Margaret Qualley will play Adele Astaire, Fred's older sister and first dance partner, while Sabrina Carpenter steps into the role of Ginger Rogers, his best-known screen partner. Holland stars as Astaire and produces through his banner Billy17, with Paul King directing for Sony.
Astaire was one of the defining dancers of Hollywood's golden age, teaming with Rogers on a string of RKO musicals in the 1930s built on craftsmanship and restraint rather than spectacle - a far cry from most modern blockbuster musicals. He and Adele had performed together on Broadway years before his film career began, though no footage of their partnership survives today, which director King has called one of the film's biggest storytelling challenges.
Older style of clean, dialogue-driven entertainment is exactly the kind of classic film worth introducing to a new generation. If this casting news sends younger audiences back to the original Astaire-Rogers films, that may end up being the more lasting story here.
Sony has not announced a release date.
