Trailer For Netflix's QUEEN OF CHESS, a Facinating Documentary About a Real-Life Chess Prodigy
Netflix has unveiled the trailer for Queen of Chess, an inspiring new documentary that’s set to debut at the Sundance Film Festival. It looks like a powerful deep dive into one of the most incredible true stories the chess world has ever seen.
The documentary comes from acclaimed, Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Rory Kennedy, whose past work includes Downfall: The Case Against Boeing and The Volcano: Rescue From Whakaari. This time, Kennedy turns her lens toward Hungarian chess prodigy Judit Polgár, a chess player who didn’t just break barriers but bulldozed through them.
The film follows Polgár’s rise as she sets her sights on conquering the male-dominated world of international chess. Her ultimate goal was taking on reigning world champion Garry Kasparov, a rivalry that stretched over more than a decade and helped reshape the sport’s deeply entrenched culture.
Polgár’s journey is so legendary that it’s widely seen as real-life inspiration for The Queen's Gambit, the hit chess drama starring Anya Taylor-Joy.
Sundance describes the film: “Queen of Chess chronicles their historic, long-running battle of the sexes, punctuated with a dynamic visual aesthetic, a rich archive, and a rousing girl-power soundtrack."
The official synopsis digs even deeper saying: “In 1989, before Searching for Bobby Fischer and The Queen's Gambit, a 12-year-old Hungarian prodigy named Judit Polgár embarked on a David-and-Goliath mission to become the top chess player of her generation, which meant going up against men who thought that women — nevermind young girls like her — could never be truly great at chess.
“In particular, Judit had her eyes set on besting top-ranked Garry Kasparov, whom some consider the greatest player of all time. What followed is a 13-year saga of thrilling wins, petulant opponents, dramatic showdowns, and surprising friendships as Judit charged toward her goal.”
After its Sundance debut, Netflix will roll out Queen of Chess worldwide on February 6th, 2026.