Tom Holland’s Highly-Anticipated Fred Astaire Biopic On Shaky Grounds Due To Widow’s Disapproval

Tom Holland’s role in the Fred Astaire biopic is already being threatened, even before the film finds its footing.

Not holding back, the iconic dancer’s widow has made it clear that she did not give the green light for her late husband’s biopic to go into production. 

Meanwhile, Holland already has his plate full with filming for “Spider-Man: Brand New Day.” However, he reportedly suffered an injury on the set of the new movie and has taken a break to recover. 

Astaire’s widow, Robyn Astaire, has given a legal warning to Amy Pascal, one of the producers for the biopic. 

TMZ confirmed that the 81-year-old retired jockey clearly stated that she has not authorized the depiction of her late husband in any film.  

Robyn noted that her decision stems from her desire to uphold her late partner's wishes, as he "was explicit in his Will that he did not want his life story to be depicted on screen." 

As such, she intends to fully uphold his wishes and has threatened legal action if producers give false information about her involvement in the film. 

When Fred was alive, he was considered to be one of Hollywood’s greatest dancers, and at one point, had his legs insured for $1 million. Before the Hollywood legend passed away in 1987, he put up thrilling performances in 49 films over the span of 76 years. 

Fred’s biopic was first announced in 2021, and Holland was confirmed to play the dance legend in the film. At the time, he expressed excitement at the upcoming film, noting that his tap dancing skills would be quite useful in helping him accurately depict the late icon. 

News of Robyn’s legal warning against Fred’s biopic comes over three weeks after Holland reportedly suffered an injury on the set of the new “Spider-Man” movie. 

According to The Blast, the 29-year-old actor suffered a nasty fall at Leavesden Studios in Watford, and is said to have cracked his head. He is believed to have also suffered a concussion and was transported to the hospital for further medical attention.

Due to the unexpected incident, production has been suspended indefinitely. 

The indefinite suspension of the movie’s production reportedly led to huge financial losses because producers still have to cover certain ongoing costs as Holland recovers. 

As The Blast reported, the pause in production will reportedly lead to a loss of about £10.5 million [$14 million]. 

The producers will still have to pay for the studio space and equipment rental, while covering the costs for keeping the cast and crew around as the lead actor recovers. Breaking down the ongoing expenses, Holland’s absence will reportedly cost the producers about £1.5 million [$2 million] each day until he returns.

Speaking on the situation, a source said, “It's a headache for any production to have to pause filming, but with a movie of this scale, it will be a huge migraine for the producers and studio. Crew still needs to be paid throughout the delay, and there are also secondary location costs to consider."

As producers make efforts to hold down the fort during Holland’s recovery, the “Spider-Man” actor shared a positive health update with his fans, noting that he was on his way to recovery. 

Per The Blast, Holland attended a charity event in late September and had to leave early. Afterwards, he discussed the event on Instagram and thanked those around him for making it a success. He also noted that he was “feeling better and on the mend.”

His post was received with an outpouring of love as several fans used the opportunity to express their concerns for his health and wish him a quick recovery. 

Months before Holland suffered a medical emergency on the set of “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” he revealed that he was willing to take on new heights in his career if given the opportunity. 

The “Uncharted” actor said that being considered to play the next James Bond would be one of the greatest achievements of his career. 

“Every young British actor, it's the pinnacle of working in our industry. I already consider myself to be the luckiest kid alive, you know? I could never have dreamed to have the career that I've had," he shared, per The Blast.