Checkmate (2025)

Checkmate is a gripping 2025 drama thriller that explores the complexities of family, intellect, and crime. Directed by Jamal Hill and written by Patrice Escoto, the film follows Brittany, a determined detective who is forced to reconnect with her estranged father Marcus, a reclusive chess master. The unlikely duo must join forces when a serial killer begins targeting victims based on moves in a deadly game of chess.

As Brittany investigates the puzzling case, she uncovers that the killer selects victims corresponding to pieces on a virtual chessboard. With time running out and the body count rising, Brittany turns to her father for insight into the killer’s twisted logic. Marcus, struggling with his own past failures, must confront long-buried emotions while deciphering the killer’s strategic patterns.

The film is a tense, character-driven thriller that weaves elements of family drama into a high-stakes crime story. As the investigation intensifies, both father and daughter must not only outthink a calculating murderer but also come to terms with the moves that separated them years ago.

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