Black Bear International has just launched international sales on the upcoming Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers biopic Fred & Ginger, which will explore the passionate and often explosive relationship between the two Hollywood legends. Along with the announcement comes news that the two leads have been cast, with Jamie Bell playing Fred Astaire and Margaret Qualley playing Ginger Rogers.

Both Qualley and Bell have had their fair share of history in playing dancers. Bell made his debut in the 2000 dance-focused coming-of-age film Billy Elliot, while Qualley starred in the 2019 FX series Fosse/Verdon, which focused on the tumultuous relationship between famed director and choreographer Bob Fosse and his wife and collaborator Gwen Verdon. Qualley played dancer Ann Reinking in the miniseries.

The film will chart the legendary and legendarily explosive dance pair over the course of their years-long collaboration. The pair is seemingly synonymous with the dazzling Golden Age of film. but many don’t know about their relationship behind the cameras. The new film will explore their lives and careers both as collaborators and as individual artists. Further, the film will explore their often contrasting dance styles and how their intense rivalry threatened to tear their partnership to shreds. Ultimately, however, the film is a celebration of their complicated relationship, and how their conflict often led to magical results on the screen.

Jonathan Entwistle will direct the film. The script was written by critically-acclaimed writer Arash Amel. Also working on the film is the acclaimed Grammy-winning music producer Marius de Vries, along with the two-time Tony Award-winning choreographer Christopher Wheeldon, and Grammy-winning songwriters Abigail Barlow, Emily Bear, and Emmy-nominated Mark Sonnenblick. The film will be produced by La La Land producer Fred Berger.

Of the casting news, the film’s producer Fred Berger said,“Margaret and Jamie were born to portray this legendary dance duo.” He continued, saying “[w]e’re so excited to give people a big joyous event – brimming with spectacle and heart – that will leave you smiling, crying, and dancing out of the theater.”

“Nothing is more important to buyers around the world than life-affirming and original entertainment that feels truly theatrical,” said John Friedberg, President, Black Bear International. “Fred & Ginger answers all those needs and more. It is a phenomenal story, with pitch-perfect casting and we couldn’t be more excited to bring this to market, along with our close friends at Automatik and 30WEST.”

No release date has yet been set for the film.

via Collider