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Tom Holland Ditches Doubles, Dances Himself in Astaire Biopic

7/24/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Tom Holland will perform all dances himself, with no doubles, in Fred Astaire biopic.
He started rehearsals after tours for The Odyssey and Spider-Man: Brand New Day, opening July 31.
Holland described the first rehearsals as exciting yet “absolute dread” because of the workload.
Production, directed by Paul King and produced by Amy Pascal, begins early 2027.
He returned to London studio where he trained for Billy Elliot, calling it full-circle.

History

Historical Context

In 1952 MGM released Singin' in the Rain, starring Gene Kelly, whose twelve-week self-choreographed rehearsals produced a $7.5 million domestic box-office record and set a benchmark for actor-driven dance. The number’s iconic rain-dance has been echoed in later works such as Damien Chazelle’s La La Land (2016) and the 2022 film Babylon, illustrating a lasting trend toward authentic star performances.

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Story summary

Tom Holland will perform all dances himself, with no doubles, in Fred Astaire biopic.
He started rehearsals after tours for The Odyssey and Spider-Man: Brand New Day, opening July 31.
Holland described the first rehearsals as exciting yet “absolute dread” because of the workload.
Production, directed by Paul King and produced by Amy Pascal, begins early 2027.
He returned to London studio where he trained for Billy Elliot, calling it full-circle.

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