Tag: The Queen

  • Netflix will continue to face ‘Queen’s Gambit’ lawsuit from Georgian chess master Nona Gaprindashvili

    By ANI

    WASHINGTON: A request by Netflix to dismiss a lawsuit filed by a Georgian chess master who alleged that she was defamed in an episode of the Emmy winning show ‘The Queen’s Gambit,’ has been refused.

    As per Variety, Nona Gaprindashvili, who rose to prominence as a chess player in the Soviet Union in the 1960s, sued Netflix in federal court in September.

    She took issue with a line in the series in which a character stated — falsely — that Gaprindashvili had “never faced men.” Gaprindashvili argued that the line was “grossly sexist and belittling,” noting that she had in fact faced 59 male competitors by 1968, the year in which the series was set.

    Netflix sought to have the suit dismissed, arguing that the show is a work of fiction and that the First Amendment gives show creators broad artistic license.

    ALSO READ | Netflix announces political drama series ‘The Diplomat’ 

    But in a ruling on Thursday, US District Judge Virginia A. Phillips disagreed, finding that Gaprindashvili had made a plausible argument that she was defamed. Phillips also held that works of fiction are not immune from defamation suits if they disparage real people.

    “Netflix does not cite, and the Court is not aware, of any cases precluding defamation claims for the portrayal of real persons in otherwise fictional works. The fact that the Series was a fictional work does not insulate Netflix from liability for defamation if all the elements of defamation are otherwise present,” Phillips wrote, as per the legal documents obtained by Variety.

    Based on a 1983 novel by Walter Tevis, ‘The Queen’s Gambit’ follows a fictional American character, Beth Harmon, who becomes an international chess champion in the 1960s. In the final episode, set in Moscow, Harmon defeats a male competitor.

    A chess announcer explains that her opponent underestimated her, “Elizabeth Harmon’s not at all an important player by their standards. The only unusual thing about her, really, is her sex. And even that’s not unique in Russia. There’s Nona Gaprindashvili, but she’s the female world champion and has never faced men.”

    Netflix argued that the show creators meant no offence to Gaprindashvili and that it had relied on two chess experts in an effort to get the details right.

    “The Series’ reference to Plaintiff was intended to recognize her, not disparage her,” the streamer’s lawyers argued as per Variety.

    In her ruling, Phillips noted that the show’s theme involves breaking gender barriers. But, as per the outlet, she said, the show could be seen as building up the achievement of the fictional Harmon by dismissing those of the real-life Gaprindashvili.

    ALSO READ | Lawsuit against Netflix over ’13 Reasons Why’ suicide scene dismissed

    “An average viewer easily could interpret the Line, as Plaintiff contends, as ‘disparaging the accomplishments of Plaintiff’ and ‘carr[ying] the stigma that women bear a badge of inferiority’ that fictional American woman Harmon, but not Plaintiff, could overcome. At the very least, the line is dismissive of the accomplishments central to Plaintiff’s reputation,” the judge wrote as per the legal documents obtained by Variety.

    Phillips also ruled that viewers might leave the show with the false impression that Gaprindashvili had never faced men.

    Netflix noted that ‘The Queen’s Gambit’ featured a standard disclaimer, stating that “the characters and events depicted in this program are fictitious. No depiction of actual persons or events is intended.”

    But the judge ruled that was not enough to dispel the notion that the show was asserting a factual claim.

    “In context, therefore, Netflix ‘creat[ed] the impression that [it] was asserting objective facts,’” “Plaintiff sufficiently pleads falsity because the Line is ‘reasonably susceptible of an interpretation which implies a provably false assertion of fact,’” Phillips wrote as per Variety. 

  • ‘The Queen’s Gambit’ star Anya Taylor-Joy to reunite with Robert Eggers for ‘Nosferatu’ remake

    By PTI

    LOS ANGELES: “The Queen’s Gambit” star Anya Taylor-Joy and director Robert Eggers are teaming up once again for a horror movie, this time for the remake of “Nosferatu”, the 1922 silent horror film that loosely adapted Bram Stoker’s “Dracula”.

    The duo first worked together in the 2015 period supernatural horror film “The Witch”, which marked the Taylor-Joy’s film debut and Eggers’ feature directorial debut.

    “All my friends are always like, ‘What are you doing?!? Take a break’. But the roles are too good. I wouldn’t be able to deal with it if I didn’t say yes. I wouldn’t cope. I’d rather just go for it and do my best,” the Golden Globe winner told the Los Angeles Times.

    Taylor-Joy recently worked with Eggers in the Viking revenge drama “The Northman”, also starring Willem Dafoe, Nicole Kidman and Alexander Skarsgard, which is currently in post-production.

    Eggers’ version of “Nosferatu” was first announced in 2015, just after the premiere of “The Witch” at Sundance Film Festival.

    Taylor-Joy is next set to star in the psychological horror film “Last Night in Soho”, directed by Edgar Wright; “The Menu” by Mark Mylod; George Miller’s “Mad Max: Fury Road” prequel “Furiosa”, and the thriller “Laughter in the Dark” with “The Queen Gambit” co-creator Scott Frank.

  • ‘The Queen’s Gambit’ star Anya Taylor-Joy, Ralph Fiennes team up for ‘The Menu’

    By PTI
    LOS ANGELES: “The Queen’s Gambit” star Anya Taylor-Joy and “Harry Potter” alum Ralph Fiennes are cooking up a new project titled “The Menu”, a dark comedy feature from Searchlight Pictures.

    Mark Mylod, known for his work on acclaimed shows like “Game of Thrones” and “Succession”, is attached to direct the film.

    According to Deadline, Oscar-nominated filmmaker Adam McKay will back the movie under his Hyperobject Industries banner along with Betsy Koch.

    “The Menu” is described as a darkly comedic psychological thriller set in the world of eccentric culinary culture, following a young couple who visit an exclusive restaurant on a remote island where an acclaimed chef (Fiennes) has prepared a lavish tasting menu.

    Golden Globe winner Taylor-Joy will play one half of the couple in the film, penned by Will Tracy and Seth Reiss.

    Fiennes is waiting for the release of the next James Bond film “No Time to Die” and the BAFTA winner is also set to star in “The King’s Man”, the “Kingsman” prequel.

    Taylor-Joy has films like “The Northman”, “Last Night In Soho”, and the untitled David O Russell project on her plate.

  • ‘The Queen’s Gambit’ to be adapted as stage musical

    By PTI
    LOS ANGELES: Following the huge success of Netflix mini-series “The Queen’s Gambit”, Walter Tevis’ novel of the same name will be getting a stage musical adaptation.

    According to Variety, Level Forward has acquired the theatrical stage rights to the 1983 novel which also served as the basis for the Anya Taylor-Joy- led series.

    “It is a privilege for Level Forward to lead the charge of bringing ‘The Queen’s Gambit’ to the stage through the beloved and enduring craft of musical theatre.

    “The story is a siren call amidst our contemporary struggles for gender and racial equity, and we’re looking forward to moving the project forward,” said Level Forward CEO Adrienne Becker and producer Julia Dunetz.

    The story centres on Beth Harmon, a brilliant chess player who struggles to overcome a broken past and the demons of addiction while battling her way to the top of the male-centered world of competitive chess in the 1950s and 19660s.

    The Netflix mini-series recently earned Golden Globes for best television limited series, anthology series, or motion picture made for television.

    Taylor-Joy also won the award for best actress in a mini-series or television film.