WASHINGTON, September 27 (RIA Novosti) – US entertainment giant Disney has acquired the screen rights to a play about Russian chess legend Garry Kasparov’s 1997 match against the IBM computer Deep Blue, a milestone battle between the human brain and artificial intelligence, the show business website Deadline.com reported Friday.
British playwright Matthew Charman will adapt his play about the match, “The Machine,” for Disney-based Mandeville Films and Television, Deadline.com reported.
The play, which was staged in New York City this month, centers around the clash between Kasparov and the Deep Blue team led by Taiwanese-born computer scientist Feng-Hsiung Hsu.
Kasparov, a former world champion who played for both the Soviet Union and Russia, is widely considered the greatest chess player in history.
He defeated Deep Blue in 1996 but lost a rematch the following year in a watershed moment for the development of powerful chess computers that have revolutionized the game, as well as symbolic turning point for the development of artificial intelligence.
After the loss, Kasparov accused Deep Blue’s programmers of intervening during the games, which was not allowed under the rules of the match. Deep Blue was subsequently dismantled despite Kasparov’s demand for a rematch.
Since retiring from professional chess in 2005, Kasparov has become active in Russian politics as a fierce critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin. He announced earlier this year that he has left Russia over fears of persecution for his political activities.
