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Paramount Pictures to adapt 8-year-old Nigerian Chess star’s story

Nigerian kid chess star, Tanitoluwa Adewumi's story has been adapted for a film by Paramount Pictures. [essence.com]
Nigerian kid chess star, Tanitoluwa Adewumi's story has been adapted for a film by Paramount Pictures. [essence.com]
The story of an 8-year-old Nigerian Chess star, Tantitoluwa Adewunmi will be adapted into a film by Paramount Pictures.
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Paramount Pictures would be adapting the intriguing story of an 8-year-old Nigerian Chess star, Tanitoluwa Adewunmi.

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In a recent report by Deadline, Paramount acquired the untitled film project, which is built around the Tantitoluwa Adewumi and his family. 

The 8-year-old Tani became a center of attraction after winning the 2019 New York chess championship while living in a homeless center on religious asylum.

The 8-year-old, who was only introduced to the game at the age of 6 caught the attention of Paramount pictures after the commissioning of three books on his family by HarperCollins imprint W Publishing.

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Paramount’s adaptation will be culled from the three books Deadline reports. The books will be published in spring 2020.

Popular TV host, Trevor Noah will join a list of producers for the film through his Day Zero Productions. Other producers will include Haroon Saleem, State Street Pictures’ George Tillman Jr. and Bob Teitel, and Mainstay Entertainment’s Norman Aladjem.

The Plot

According to Deadline, the plot will tell the story of a Nigerian family that escaped terrorism, sought and received asylum in America and — against all odds — found a welcoming new home in New York. It’s a story of love, peace, community and faith, and the lengths parents will go to bring their family to safety and provide them a better life. Tani’s accomplishment went viral and the family’s story became an inspiration to many. 

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