Apple TV+’s Cold War alternate-history spin-off Star City keeps the Soviet spotlight bright. And for anyone looking for another chess-and-politics fix, the Bobby Fischer drama Pawn Sacrifice is streaming for free in the U.S. on Tubi.
Rhys Ifans is front and center in Star City, Apple TV’s austere Cold War spin-off that flips the usual Space Race story and leans hard into Soviet paranoia, political intrigue, and the feeling that every move is watched.
The series arrives on the back of a renewed mainstream appetite for Cold War-era power struggles. HBO’s Chernobyl and Netflix’s The Queen’s Gambit helped pull the era into everyday conversation. and Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer sharpened interest again by revisiting the tense years spent creating the world’s first atomic weapons—ending up grossing nearly $1 billion worldwide. The Cold War may be history, but Russia is back in pop culture’s role as a familiar antagonist.
Star City sits inside an alternate history where the Space Race never ends. and it’s built around the Soviet perspective of that ongoing contest. The tone is unmistakably political and anxious. with the show’s framing making the contest feel less like exploration and more like pressure—constant. personal. and dangerous.
That same Cold War fascination is finding viewers in another corner of streaming right now: chess, prestige, and the way governments treat athletes like tools.
He claimed the title in a legendary Cold War-era face-off against Spassky—an encounter that was dramatized in Pawn Sacrifice. released in 2014 and directed by Edward Zwick. The film stars Tobey Maguire as Bobby Fischer and Liev Schreiber as Spassky. Fischer and Spassky. the story emphasizes. were being used as pawns for their respective governments. with immense pressure tied to securing prestige for their countries.
Commercially, Pawn Sacrifice didn’t land the way studios often hope; it grossed just $5 million worldwide. Still, the critical reception has held up. The movie currently carries a “Certified Fresh” 73% score on Rotten Tomatoes. where the consensus reads: “Anchored by a sensitive performance from Tobey Maguire. Pawn Sacrifice adds another solidly gripping drama to the list of films inspired by chess wiz Bobby Fischer.”.
For U.S. viewers looking to watch something immediately, Pawn Sacrifice is currently streaming for free on Tubi.
The release date for Pawn Sacrifice is September 16, 2015, and the runtime is 115 minutes—just enough time to get the full pressure-cooker version of Cold War competition, right alongside the paranoia-fueled promise of Star City.
Star City Apple TV+ Rhys Ifans For All Mankind Cold War Space Race Soviet perspective Pawn Sacrifice Tobey Maguire Liev Schreiber Bobby Fischer Boris Spassky Edward Zwick Tubi Rotten Tomatoes Certified Fresh chess thriller