Peter Berg’s ‘The Mosquito Bowl’ Trailer Sends College Football Stars Into the Hell of World War II

Peter Berg has spent much of his career exploring two subjects: football and war. The filmmaker behind ‘Friday Night Lights’ and ‘Lone Survivor’ has now found a true story that brings both worlds together in ‘The Mosquito Bowl’, his latest project for Netflix.

The film is based on Buzz Bissinger’s 2022 book ‘The Mosquito Bowl: A Game of Life and Death in World War II’, reuniting Berg with the author whose work inspired ‘Friday Night Lights’. Berg co-wrote the screenplay with Mark L. Smith and produces alongside Brian Grazer and Alex Gayner.

Now, Netflix has released a new trailer for the World War II drama, and it offers an intense look at the journey from the gridiron to the battlefield. The film opens in select theaters on October 30 before arriving on Netflix on November 25.

The story follows 4 of America’s brightest college football stars who put their promising careers aside to enlist in the Marines after the attack on Pearl Harbor. As they prepare for the invasion of Okinawa, the men take part in a football game on Guadalcanal that became known as the Mosquito Bowl.

The trailer opens with the young athletes seemingly on top of the world before plunging them into the chaos of war. It balances moments of camaraderie with brutal combat sequences.

New trailer for Peter Berg’s ‘THE MOSQUITO BOWL’ starring Nicholas Galitzine, Bill Skarsgård, Tom Francis and Ray Nicholson. 🎥 In theaters on October 30. https://t.co/ZE1sIAvWoT

— Film Crave (@_filmcrave) October 12, 2026

Nicholas Galitzine stars as Brown University quarterback John McLaughry, while Bill Skarsgård plays Wisconsin standout Bob Bauman. Ray Nicholson takes on the role of Purdue’s Tony Butkovich, and Tom Francis plays Dave Schreiner. The supporting ensemble includes Brent Comer, Dominic Bogart, Jack Ingram, Ella Newton, and Pat McAfee. Berg himself also appears in the film.

Berg and his team built immersive, practical environments designed to put both the actors and the audience inside the battle. According to Galitzine, the cast performed much of the action themselves, with explosives detonating just feet away during filming. “You just have to do less, be present, because it’s all happening for you,” Galitzine told Netflix’s Tudum of shooting the combat sequences.

That commitment to realism appears throughout the trailer. Viewers get a glimpse of explosive battle scenes that look gritty and visceral. ‘The Mosquito Bowl’ is the first film under Berg’s renewed deal between his Film 44 banner and Netflix. His recent work with the streamer includes ‘Painkiller’ and ‘American Primeval’.

The project seems tailor-made for the director’s longstanding interests. Brotherhood, competition, and men pushed to their limits have long been central themes in his films. Production began in August 2025, and the result is a sweeping war drama with a running time of 2 hours and 7 minutes. The film is rated R.

Before reaching theaters, ‘The Mosquito Bowl’ will hold its world premiere at AFI Fest on October 22. That festival debut will offer the first chance for critics and audiences to see the film.

The first poster for Peter Berg’s ‘THE MOSQUITO BOWL’ has been released. In theaters October 30 and Netflix November 25. https://t.co/DqvZcClfqb

— Film Updates (@FilmUpdates) September 8, 2026

With a cast of rising stars and a powerful true story, the film is already generating awards-season buzz. Its theatrical release ahead of its Netflix debut suggests the streamer has high hopes for it.

‘The Mosquito Bowl’ opens in select theaters on October 30. Viewers who prefer to watch at home can stream it on Netflix starting November 25. For fans of Berg’s earlier work, the film looks like a powerful return to familiar ground. It promises to honor a little-known chapter of history while showing the human cost of war.

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