The Cursestars,Emma StoneandNathan Fielderare teaming up with production company,A24to produceCheckmate,a film based onBen Mezrich’s book proposal about the controversial 2022 chess match between Chess GrandmasterMagnus Carlsenand rising star,Hans Niemann.
According toVariety, acquiring the film rights was competitive, with numerous streaming platforms and studios expressing interest in the project. It was reported that A24 offered an undisclosed seven-figure offer to grab hold of the project and that the deals are still in the works. Meanwhile, insiders toldThe Hollywood Reporterthat A24 gave its offer a “30-minute timer” and were shocked that it was “swiftly accepted.” Fielder is reported to direct the project, with Stone and her partner, Dave McCarry set to produce.
Checkmateisn’t the first book that Mezrich wrote that received an adaptation. Some of his other works led to films. For example,The Antisocial Networkwas adapted to the 2023 film,Dumb Money, starringPete DavidsonandVincent D’Onofrio. Another was 2010’s Oscar-winning film,The Social Network, which was based onThe Accidental Billionaires.
A24 has produced numerous successful projects in the past, with one of its most successful films being 2022’sEverything Everywhere All At Once, starringMichelle YeohandKe Huy Quan. The film is the production company’s current highest-grossing film, earning a total box-office gross of over $144 million. The film also won numerous Oscar Awards in 2023, including “Best Actress”, “Best Supporting Actor”, and"Best Picture,“just to name a few. Recently, A24 released a dystopian war film calledCivil Warand has earned over $66 million worldwide, making it the fifth-biggest highest grossing film in A24’s history.
What is ‘Checkmate’ Based On?
Mezrich’s 12-pageCheckmatebook proposal follows the “biggest scandal in the history of chess.” Carlsen accused Niemann of cheating, which led to a dismissed $100 million lawsuit, according toThe Guardian. The accusation was made during the September 2022 Sinquefield Cup, after Carlsen pulled out of a major tournament for the first time in his career. While Carlsen didn’t specify how Neimann cheated, he did admit to doing so over on the chess website, Chess.com, but never in person. The website then released a 72-page report, stating that the teenager had “likely cheated” during online matches.'
