6 Best Chess Movies of All Time

By Vlad Zakh · February 10, 2026

Chess is silent and cerebral, which makes it a surprisingly rich source of screen tension. The Dark Horse has a man with bipolar disorder finding stability by coaching at-risk kids, Queen of Katwe follows a girl from a Ugandan slum, and Pawn Sacrifice sets an unstable prodigy against a Soviet champion in a Cold War showdown. Life of a King, Searching for Bobby Fischer and Knight Moves complete the six.

The Dark Horse (2014)

TMDB ★ 7.1

A man with bipolar disorder finds stability by mentoring at-risk kids through competitive chess.

Directed by James Napier Robertson · 2h 04m

Where to watch

Stream: fuboTV, Shout! Factory Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, FlixFling

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Queen of Katwe (2016)

TMDB ★ 7.4

A girl from the slums of Kampala discovers a gift for chess that offers a path out of poverty.

Directed by Mira Nair · 2h 04m · Rated PG

Where to watch

Stream: Disney Plus · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Pawn Sacrifice (2014)

TMDB ★ 7.0

An unstable chess prodigy's Cold War showdown against a Soviet champion becomes a global spectacle.

Directed by Edward Zwick · 1h 55m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Life of a King (2013)

TMDB ★ 6.4

A former convict teaches inner-city teenagers chess, giving them purpose and discipline.

Directed by Jake Goldberger · 1h 41m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, Peacock Premium, UP Faith & Family Apple TV channel, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Peacock Premium Plus · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Knight Moves (1992)

TMDB ★ 5.8

A chess grandmaster becomes the prime suspect in a series of murders that mirror his own matches.

Directed by Carl Schenkel · 1h 56m · Rated R

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Searching for Bobby Fischer (1993)

TMDB ★ 7.3

A young chess prodigy's family and coaches clash over how hard to push his blossoming talent.

Directed by Steven Zaillian · 1h 50m · Rated PG

Where to watch

Rent: JustWatch TV, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Streaming availability data from JustWatch, via TMDB. Availability changes often, so check the service before you plan a movie night.

Vlad Zakh

Founder, Movieix

Founder of Movieix. He started the site because most recommendation pages felt like noise. Here, lists are sorted by who's in the film, where it's from and what mood you're in tonight.

6 Best Chess Movies of All Time

The Dark Horse (2014)

Queen of Katwe (2016)

Pawn Sacrifice (2014)

Life of a King (2013)

Knight Moves (1992)

Searching for Bobby Fischer (1993)

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