Qualley and Carpenter Join Tom Holland's Astaire Biopic

You can almost hear the tap shoes before the cameras start rolling—history is getting a second act.

Margaret Qualley and Sabrina Carpenter have signed on to join Tom Holland in Paul King’s untitled biopic about Fred Astaire, a Sony Pictures production from the director of Paddington and Wonka. Holland was attached to play Astaire some time ago; now the supporting pieces are falling into place.

Qualley will portray Adele Astaire, Fred’s older sister and his first dance partner onstage. Carpenter steps into the shoes of Ginger Rogers, the performer whose films with Fred became shorthand for effortless chemistry and dazzling choreography. Two roles. Two legacies. One movie seeking to stitch them together.

Fred and Adele were stars of Broadway and London’s West End long before Hollywood turned Fred into a household name. The siblings’ early partnership shaped the rhythm of his career; Adele eventually left the stage, while Fred moved into film and into cinematic immortality alongside Rogers. Their screen collaborations—The Gay Divorcee, Top Hat, Swing Time—still set the bar for dance on film.

Paul King, who co-wrote the screenplay and will direct, has framed the project as more than a glossy nostalgia piece. He wants to recover a neglected chapter. Adele’s contribution, he argues, has slipped into the margins of history; there’s scarcely any footage of her dancing to remind us what she brought to the act.

This film aims to restore Adele Astaire’s overlooked legacy while celebrating Fred’s legendary partnership with Ginger Rogers.

The screenplay credits list King alongside collaborator Steven Lonsdale, and the project draws on Kathleen Riley’s book The Astaires: Fred & Adele. Riley is on board as a story consultant, and family blessing comes from Ava Astaire McKenzie and her brother Tyler McKenzie, who have expressed support for a faithful, respectful portrayal of their parents’ careers. Ava has described the effort as a chance to honor both a professional life and an enduring cultural legacy.

Holland has been candid about his preparation. On Good Morning America he said he’s returning to the dance studio, intent on performing his own steps and avoiding stunt doubles where he can. He wants to capture Astaire’s trademark ease—sometimes filmed as a single, unbroken take—that made the dancer seem weightless and utterly precise.

There’s no official title yet, and Sony hasn’t announced a release date. What’s clear is the ambition: a film that threads theater history, sibling dynamics, and the cinematic magic created when two performers find perfect harmony on screen.

Keep an eye on casting and choreography updates—this one promises to be a step worth watching.