Directed by Steven Zaillian Written by Fred Waitzkin   Steven Zaillian   Cast Max Pomeranc ... Josh Waitzkin Joe Mantegna ... Fred Waitzkin Joan Allen ... Bonnie Waitzkin Ben Kingsley ... Bruce Pandolfini Laurence Fishburne ... Vinnie Michael Nirenberg ... Jonathan Poe Robert Stephens ... Poe's Teacher David Paymer ... Kalev Hal Scardino ... Morgan Vasek Simek ... Russian Park Player William H. Macy ... Tunafish Father Dan Hedaya ... Tournament Director Laura Linney ... School Teacher Anthony Heald ... Fighting Parent Steven Randazzo ... Man of Many Signals Chelsea Moore ... Katya Waitzkin Josh Mostel ... Chess Club Regular Josh Kornbluth ... Chess Club Regular Tony Shalhoub ... Chess Club Member Austin Pendleton ... Asa Hoffman Tom McGowan ... Reporter Ona Fletcher ... Reporter Kamran Shirazi ... Self Joel Benjamin ... Self Roman Dzindzichashvili ... Self Jerry Poe McClinton ... Park Player Matt De Matt ... Night Park Player (as Matt De Matt Reines) Vincent Smith ... Washington Square Patzers Jerry Rakow ... Washington Square Patzers William Colgate ... Statistician Tony De Santis ... Journalist R.D. Reid ... Final Tournament Director Anthony McGowen ... Park Dealer Katya Waitzkin ... 82nd Girl Ryder Fleming-Jones ... Petey Harris Krofchick ... Running Chess Kid John Bourgeois ... Gym Parent Maria Ricossa ... Gym Parent Caroline Yeager ... Screaming Mom Andrew Sardella ... Josh's Syracuse Opponent Nathan Carter ... Josh's Teammate Nicholas Taylor ... Birthday Friend Jonathan Fazio ... Birthday Friend Nicky Mellina ... Birthday Friend Philip Neiman ... Birthday Friend Elizabeth Gropman ... Birthday Friend Bobby Fischer ... Self Uncredited Cast Matt Birman ... Father Robert Anthony Carswell ... Parent Pacing in Locker Room James Garrigan ... Cyclist Bruce Pandolfini ... Man in Washington Park Edd Scorpio ... Chess Competitor Thomas Spindler ... Bobby's Master of Ceremonies Josh Waitzkin ... Chess Player in Washington Square Produced by William Horberg   Sydney Pollack   Scott Rudin   David Wisnievitz   Original Music by James Horner

Additional Info Premiere: August 11, 1993 DVD Release: July 11, 2000 Country: Distributor: Paramount Studios Websites: Production Companies Mirage Enterprises (Mirage Entertainment) Distributors Paramount Pictures   (1993) (United States) (theatrical) Paramount Pictures   (1994) (United States) (pan and scan) (VHS) American Broadcasting Company (ABC)   (1997) (United States) (broadcast premiere) (TV) Disney Channel   (1999) (United States) (TV) Trifecta Entertainment and Media   (2011) (World-wide) (syndicated print) (TV) Warner Archive Collection   (2013) (United States) (DVD) Pluto TV   (2021) (United States) (video) Filming Locations New York City, New York, USA Toronto, Ontario, Canada Upper Canada College, Toronto, Ontario, Canada Washington Square Park, Greenwich Village, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA Yonge Street and Dundas Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada Rating Stats Overall Rating 7.4 / 10 Our Rating 6.2 / 10 Your Friends -- / 10 Male Users 6.2 / 10 Female Users -- / 10 Site Ranking #2,612 / 20,725 Ratings Breakdown Perfect 2 total ratings Average 1 total rating Site Ranking #2,608 Deep Red (1975) #2,609 Ravenous (1999) #2,610 The Forever Purge (2021) #2,611 White Boy Rick (2018) #2,612 Searching For Bobby Fischer (1993) #2,613 Death Wish (1974) #2,614 Lovelace (2013) #2,615 The Vanishing (1988) #2,616 Cube Zero (2004)