05/08/2022

Today iQiyi has announced that Checkmate, Agatha Christie’s first Chinese TV adaptation, will premier on 10th August 2022.

Directed by Zhang Weike, starring Hu Yitian, Leon Zhang, and Viann Zhang, Checkmate is one of iQiyi’s strongest lineups for Summer 2022 which is peak season in China for drama viewing.

Checkmate tells the story of a young lawyer Situ Yan (Hu Yitian) whose uncompromising attitude to principle and justice costs him his job. When he goes to Harbin to become a detective and flex his muscles cracking crime cases, he meets and becomes friends with straight-talking detective Luo Shaochuan (Leon Zhang) and Zhou Mowan (Viann Zhang) a lady with a mysterious charm. Along with journalist Xuan Yan (playing Jin Qiming) and Shen Yujie (playing Zou Jingxuan) a young lady from a wealthy family, this team of five work together to solve cases and seek the truth.

Checkmate is one of this year’s most hotly anticipated new dramas in China and pre-books on the iQiyi platform already exceed 2 million.

The first series is based on eight legendary Agatha Christie cases, namely: Murder on the Orient Express, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, Cat Among the Pigeons, One Two Buckle My Shoe, Poirot Investigates, Five Little Pigs, Three Act Tragedy, Curtain: Poirot’s Last Case. Checkmate's Chinese adaptation of these great cases takes the audience on an adventure through a rich tapestry of settings, interweaved with Eastern mystery, peeling back the layers of human nature to reveal the truth and complexities beneath in the ultimate battle of genius minds.

From 10th August, Checkmate will be broadcast exclusively on iQiyi. VIP subscribers can watch 2 new episodes every Wednesday to Saturday at 20:00, and non-subscribers can watch 1 episode for free every Wednesday to Sunday at 20:00.

As the exclusive agent for Agatha Christie Limited in China, Zespa Media originated, developed and negotiated all aspects of this landmark production.

Watch the trailer for Checkmate here:
Checkmate Trailer