What do Austin Powers, Harry Potter, and Charles Xavier have in common? They’re all British, to be sure, but they also all star in films where the game of chess plays a role. Now, one enterprising denizen of the internet has figured out the real games of chess that they must have played in those films — along with the game played by Genie and the Magic Carpet in Disney’s Aladdin, the game between Sheriff Bart and the Waco Kid in Blazing Saddles, and three others.
From ‘Aladdin’ to ‘X-Men’: chess in the movies
is a senior editor and founding member of The Verge who covers gadgets, games, and toys. He spent 15 years editing the likes of CNET, Gizmodo, and Engadget.
Of course, those eight scenes barely scratch the surface of the traditional board game’s role in film over the years. Check out this “Chess Rhapsody” series of videos, compiled by Lucius Etruscus, for a more thorough glimpse into the game’s cinematic appeal. And for an added bonus, take a peek at “11 Movie Chess Scenes Where The Board Is Set Up Wrong” for some infamous movie goofs.
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