Watch Tobey Maguire play chess legend Bobby Fischer in the first Pawn Sacrifice trailer
It's only May, but this year's wannabe Oscar contenders are already jockeying for buzz. The first trailer for Edward Zwick's Pawn Sacrifice — a biopic of chess legend Bobby Fischer — shows off star Tobey Maguire in a trailer that recalls last year's Best Picture nominee The Imitation Game:
Pawn Sacrifice focuses on Fischer's legendary 1972 match against Boris Spassky — arguably the most famous game in chess history. "It's a war of perception," says the trailer. "A poor kid from Brooklyn against the whole Soviet empire." But as the pressure builds, Fischer begins to snap, eventually leading to his well-publicized reclusion.
Pawn Sacrifice hits theaters in September.
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Scott Meslow is the entertainment editor for TheWeek.com. He has written about film and television at publications including The Atlantic, POLITICO Magazine, and Vulture.