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Tobey Maguire Set to Play a Chess Master in 'Pawn Sacrifice'

by Ethan Anderton
February 24, 2010
Source: Deadline

In a move that will take him from comic book geeks to a whole new level of nerd, former superhero Tobey Maguire may take on the role of famous chess master Bobby Fischer in a project called Pawn Sacrifice. This bit of news comes from a brief mention in the same Deadline Hollywood article that announced Matt Damon's turn as Robert F. Kennedy, but all we know is that Steven Knight wrote the script which focuses on Fischer around the year 1972, which is when the legendary player faced off against Russian chess champion Boris Spassky in a highly publicized match that went hand in hand with the Cold War tensions of the time.

Bobby Fischer is considered to be one of the greatest chess players of all-time, winning championships when he was just a young teenage boy to setting legendary tournament records in his 30's. However, as he became older, Fischer became more reclusive, strange and even offensive, making anti-American and anti-Semitic statements. The film will be intent on focusing on this first and all-important match between Fischer and Spassky, probably much in the same way other inspirational sports movies have average families everywhere latching onto one team and their hopes of triumph and victory. Sounds like a great project for Maguire, and a great start to his career after leaving Spider-Man behind. We'll be sure to keep you updated. Thoughts?

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