Tom Holland’s Next Dance: Playing Fred Astaire

Tom Holland. (AP)
Tom Holland. (AP)
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Tom Holland’s Next Dance: Playing Fred Astaire

Tom Holland. (AP)
Tom Holland. (AP)

Tom Holland is trading in his Spidey suit for some tap shoes. The “Spider-Man” star told The Associated Press Sunday that he plans to play Fred Astaire in an upcoming biopic.

“Oh, I am playing Fred Astaire,” Holland said at an event in London. “Yeah, I am.”

Producer Amy Pascal recently said she wanted Holland to play Astaire, but Holland had yet to comment on the possibility until now.

While Holland’s dance background hasn’t necessarily been highlighted in his superhero films, the 25-year-old did play the title role in “Billy Elliott: The Musical” from 2008 to 2010.

Holland said he still needs to read the Astaire script, which just came in a week ago.

“I haven’t read it yet. They haven’t given it to me,” Holland added. “Amy Pascal has the script. She FaceTimed me earlier. I was in the bath and we had a lovely FaceTime.”

But before he steps into Astaire’s shoes, Holland has another Spider-Man movie to unspool on the world: “No Way Home,” which hits theaters on Dec. 17. Whether or not there’s more Peter Parker in his future remains to be seen.

“I love this character more than anything. This character has changed my life. I have a relationship with my fans that is so wonderful. I couldn’t ask for it to be any better,” Holland said.

“But I want to do what’s best for the character. If it’s time for me to step down and the next person to step up, I’ll do so proudly. You know, I’d love to see a more diverse Spider-Man universe, which would be really exciting. If I could be a part of that — if I could be the Iron Man to the next young Spider-Man or Spider-Woman, that would be great. But at the moment, all I have to think about is the character and what’s best for Peter Parker,” he said.



BTS Member Suga Discharged from South Korean Military Service

 K-pop boy band BTS member Suga attends Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2023 in Seoul, South Korea, July 26, 2023. (Reuters)
K-pop boy band BTS member Suga attends Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2023 in Seoul, South Korea, July 26, 2023. (Reuters)
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BTS Member Suga Discharged from South Korean Military Service

 K-pop boy band BTS member Suga attends Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2023 in Seoul, South Korea, July 26, 2023. (Reuters)
K-pop boy band BTS member Suga attends Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2023 in Seoul, South Korea, July 26, 2023. (Reuters)

K-pop group BTS member Suga was discharged from the South Korean military on Saturday, the seventh and final member to complete the country's mandatory national service amid expectations of the band's comeback from a hiatus.

Suga finished his military tenure as a social service agent on Saturday with little fanfare as fans looked forward to his reunion with the rest of the band, a K-pop sensation since it started up in 2013.

"We confirm that Suga effectively completed his alternative service on June 18 by using his remaining leave. His official discharge date is June 21," BTS' label, Big Hit Music, said in a statement.

Unlike with his BTS bandmates, there was no public event planned to mark Suga's release because of overcrowding concerns.

The seven members of the group put their global music careers on hold in 2022 to begin their military service, starting with Jin in December that year. South Korea's mandatory national service can be for terms of up to 18 months.

Shortly after his official discharge, Suga posted a message on fan community platform Weverse, saying he was "sorry for the disappointment and concern caused by what happened last year", and also apologizing to his bandmates.

Last year, Suga was fined 15 million won ($11,500) by a court for drunk driving while on an electric scooter.

The group is expected to hold its largest-ever world tour in 2026, an NH Securities entertainment analyst said in a report.

Entertainment group HYBE, which manages BTS, is closely monitored by securities companies.

Details of a reunion have not been released.