British actor Tom Holland is setting up a new major screen project, lining up a lead role in the upcoming original thriller Penthouse. After stepping away from acting for a brief hiatus following the 2023 release of The Crowded Room, the performer has built up significant momentum. During 2026 alone, he appeared in two major summer releases, Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey. He also began physical training for a long-gestating Fred Astaire biographical film and completed filming on a World Cup commercial appearance alongside Lionel Messi. Now, he is moving into thriller territory with screenwriter Drew Pearce.
Sony Pictures Secures Rights For Production
Sony Pictures has acquired the Pearce-scripted thriller, setting the production up under Holland's Billy17 banner alongside Pearce's Point Of No Return company. The studio is currently developing the feature specifically as a star vehicle for Holland. Detailed plot elements and narrative specifics regarding the storyline of Penthouse remain tightly sealed under wraps, with no story details disclosed publicly at this stage of pre-production development.
Screenwriter Drew Pearce Expands Genre Track Record
Drew Pearce, who recently wrote The Fall Guy, brings an established screenwriting background to the new production. His past feature writing credits include co-writing Iron Man 3 and the action spin-off Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw, as well as writing and directing Hotel Artemis. Prior to launching full work on Penthouse, Pearce is concluding contributions on Michael B. Jordan's forthcoming remake of The Thomas Crown Affair, further cementing his background in high-stakes genre storytelling.
Production Timeline And Holland's Slate
The timeline for Penthouse places its actual shooting schedule further down the pipeline for Holland. The actor must first navigate his Fred Astaire project as well as commitments potentially tied to the Russo Brothers' follow-up to Avengers: Doomsday, namely next Christmas's Secret Wars, should his participation materialize. Holland has previously demonstrated his capacity for darker dramatic material in projects such as The Devil All The Time and The Crowded Room, making his creative pairing with Pearce on an original thriller a notable continuation of his dramatic choices.
