MUMBAI: Director Ed Zwick has been signed by Tobey Maguire to direct a biopic on chess genius Bobby Fischer. The film, Pawn Sacrifice, will have Maguire play Fischer.

The film will focus on Fischer‘s rise as a chess champion in the 1960s, leading up to the famous match against Soviet player Boris Spassky in 1972, one of the high points of the Cold War.

Steven Knight wrote the most current draft of the project, which previously had David Fincher attached as director.

The film is being produced under the banner of Maguire‘s Material Pictures. Gail Katz is the co-producer.

Zwick last directed Love and Other Drugs.