It looks like Emma Stone and Nathan Fielder are reuniting, but it’s not for “The Curse” Season 2. THR reports that the pair of actors are in talks to reteam for a new A24 project: “Checkmate,” based on a book proposal by “The Social Network” and “Dumb Money” writer Ben Mezrich. Stone, Fielder, A24, Mezrich; this feature just skyrocketed to one of the buzziest in Hollywood.
And if anyone guessed “Checkmate” was about chess, you’d be right. Mezrich’s 12-page book proposal focuses on a battle between two chessboard behemoths: Grandmaster Magnus Carlsen and young upstart Hans Niemann. Their rivalry is the stuff of legends for chess players, with Niemann accused of cheating in one of the head-to-head matches between the two. In that sense, this project has it all: two geniuses duking it out, an international scandal, and the revival of chess into a wildly successful industry.
But Fielder and Stone don’t star in “Checkmate”; instead, Fielder will direct, with Stone producing. Stone’s husband Dave McCary will also produce the picture through the two’s Fruit Tree banner. But the real news here is A24 snatching this package from the likes of Netflix and Amazon. Both streaming studios had deals on the table for “Checkmate” before A24 emerged with a seven-figure deal on a time limit, which Mezrich quickly acquiesced to. One insider said, “I’ve never seen A24 do that before,” which speaks to the studio’s new profile as a bigger, bolder player that makes more upscaled movies than its usual smaller-budget fare.
Like it or not, that’s what A24 is trending toward. “Checkmate” likely won’t have the $50 million budget of Alex Garland‘s “Civil War,” but it will appeal to a broader audience than the genre pictures that A24 churns out that cinephiles love. Still, Fielder directing at A24 beats the competing deals Amazon and Netflix made for checkmate. Amazon wanted Ron Howard to direct their take on “Checkmate,” with “Air” screenwriter Alex Convery penning the script, while Netflix and Apple eyed Taron Egerton to star. Although it’s only on paper, A24’s package still looks the best there; no wonder Mezrich signed their deal within a half-hour.
Stay tuned for more news on “Checkmate,” like casting and a shooting schedule.