In 1941, the destiny of the United States was severely altered, and the future of the world forever changed. After Pearl Harbor was attacked, the U.S. had no choice but to enter the Second World War, and when that happened, countless Americans began new life paths that would end in the ultimate sacrifice. And, interestingly, several professional football players, who later became Marines, played one massive football game before a major turning point in WWII in 1944.
This football game was called “The Mosquito Bowl,” and it really happened on December 24, 1944. And now, that event, and the men who were a part of it, will have their stories told in a bold new film from Friday Night Lights director Peter Berg. Here’s what to know about the plot, the film’s incredible cast, plus the theatrical and Netflix release dates.
The Mosquito Bowl: official plot and full trailer
As of October 12, 2026, Netflix has released a full trailer for The Mosquito Bowl, which juxtaposes the stories of four real-life football players who became Marines: John McLaughry, Bob Bauman, Tony Butkovich, and David Schreiner.
Here’s the official synopsis from Netflix: “Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, four of America’s top College Football stars set their fame aside to enlist in the Marines. As they prepare for the brutal invasion of Okinawa, they’ll play in a legendary game featuring some of the greatest players in history – a game that, for many, will be the last they ever play.”
The Mosquito Bowl‘s killer cast
Netflix
Here’s who’s starring in The Mosquito Bowl, and which historical figures they’re each playing.
- Nicholas Galitzine as John McLaughry (in real life, McLaughry survived WWII)
- Bill Skarsgård as Bob Bauman (in WWII, Bauman was killed in action in 1945.)
- Ray Nicholson as Tony Butkovich (Butkovich was a Croatian-American football player and Marine, who was killed in action in 1945.)
- Tom Francis as David Schreiner (Schreiner was also killed in action in 1945.)
The Mosquito Bowl release date
The Mosquito Bowl is produced by Film 44 and Imagine Entertainment, but distributed by Netflix. So, this will be a streaming movie on Netflix, but it will have a theatrical release first. Here are the two release dates for The Mosquito Bowl:
- October 30: in theaters.
- November 25: streaming on Netflix.
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