A24, operating on its new mandate to act aggressively in the pursuit of projects, just outplayed the Hollywood studios and streamers in order to pick up Checkmate, a hot feature package centered on a book proposal by Ben Mezrich, the author whose books were adapted into films such The Social Network and Dumb Money. 　　If deals close, Checkmate will reteam Emma Stone with Nathan Fielder, who both adorned the most recent edition of The Hollywood Reporter magazine and the stars of the Showtime series The Curse. Fielder is attached to direct, while Stone will produce along with her husband and partner Dave McCary via the duo’s Fruit Tree banner. It also reunites the pair with A24, which backed The Curse. Sources say the book deal is closing or has closed while the talent deals are still being hammered out.

本剧讲述了经历过血腥动乱后成为皇帝的罗马皇帝维斯帕先（安东尼·霍普金斯 饰）统治时期的历史。维斯帕先日渐老迈，他一方面需要面对来自罗马上层贵族精英的鄙夷，一方面要提防他们欲取而代之的企图。 　　该剧是美国康卡斯特公司所属流媒体平台Peacock推出的角斗士系列历史剧之一，剧本灵感来源自美国作家、编剧Daniel P. Mannix于1958年出版的同名历史著作。该剧由曾指导《独立日》等著名电影的导演罗兰·艾默里奇以及德国导演马可·克罗伊茨派因特纳共同执导本片，《拯救大兵瑞恩》编剧罗伯特·罗达特负责剧本的创作。据报道，除主演安东尼·霍普金斯以外，目前已有汤姆·休斯（饰演提图斯皇帝，维斯帕先长子）、乔乔·马卡里（饰演图密善皇帝，维斯帕先次子）、洛伦佐·里凯尔米、萨拉·马丁斯、迪米特里·列奥尼达斯、贾布瑞拉·派申、Moe Hashim等演员加盟该剧。该剧将于2023年3月在罗马开拍。