The Queen's Gambit Makes a Move to the Stage! Musical Adaptation in the Works

The Queen's Gambit is eyeing a move to the stage. The series, which recently won Critics' Choice and Golden Globe Awards for Best Limited Series, is being developed as a stage musical by Level Forward. The company acquired the rights to Walter Tevis' novel, which served as the basis of the series.

The Queen’s Gambit tells the story of Beth Harmon, an orphan turned chess prodigy. The novel, published in 1983, depicts Beth’s journey from Kentucky to Paris to Moscow and beyond. It is a chronicle of a young woman’s struggle to overcome a broken past and the demons of addiction, set against the practices and prejudices of a male-centered world. The miniseries premiered on October 23, 2020 and became Netflix's most-watched scripted miniseries with over 62 million viewers in the first month.

“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 theater," said Level Forward CEO Adrienne Becker and producer Julia Dunetz in a statement. "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.”

More details will be announced later. Watch the trailer for for the series below.