Remember that Bobby Fischer flick Tobey Maguire signed on for like an eternity ago? It's still happening, and with Maguire suddenly with a wide open schedule thanks to The Great Gatsby shifting to next summer, the film is moving forward and with a director finally attached.
Ed Zwick(Glory) will direct Pawn Sacrifice, which has Maguire playing the chess Grandmaster as he prepares for his 1972 World Championship match against Russian champ, Borris Spassky. The event was surrounded by Cold War trappings which turned it into a global spectacle. The script comes from Steven Knight, who also has new time on his hands after the Eastern Promises sequel was dropped.
One of my favorite movies ever is Searching for Bobby Fischer, which doesn't deal with Fischer directly, although his influence is felt throughout. I find it hard to believe Zwick and Maguire will be able to top it in my mind, but Fischer's story is an interesting one that shows the impact fame and genius can have on a person. Maguire is suddenly a very busy man, as just yesterday he agreed to produce and star in an adaptation of Z for Zachariah from director Craig Zobel. [Deadline]
