Netflix's New WWII Thriller The Mosquito Bowl Sets 2026 Release Date

Netflix has an impressive roster of films being submitted for an Academy Award this year. The streamer, known for releasing movies on its platform, is giving some films a theatrical release to make them eligible for an Oscar. Netflix has gone around the world in its search for heavyweights that can compete with traditional studios or other streaming services. Additionally, the streaming service will now begin reporting box office performances for movies released in theaters. One of them is a war thriller that has secured a limited release beginning next month.

Set in the 1940s, the film follows four characters who enlist in Japan's war with America. In the aftermath of the attack on Pearl Harbor, four famous American college football stars abandon their shining status in the sport and 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 film's description says.

That film is The Mosquito Bowl, Peter Berg's war epic coming to theaters on October 30 before streaming on Netflix on November 25. Berg co-wrote the film's script with Mark L. Smith and enlisted some talented young actors in the lead roles. IT icon Bill Skarsgård continues to impress in all his roles, and in this one he plays one of the stars-turned-soldiers, Bob Bauman. He-Man star Nicholas Galitzine is also building his career in high-budget epics, and he plays John McLaughry. The quartet is completed by Tom Francis (You) as Dave Schreiner and Ray Nicholson (The Beauty) as Tony Butkovich.

'The Mosquito Bowl' Is a Stunning Portrait of War

Netflix has already released the film's trailer, and it has serious All Quiet on the Western Front vibes. Unlike the German boys, these people have a bit of experience in confrontation. In many ways, a football game is like war. Someone always loses, and there is a price to pay. But nothing can prepare anyone for the realities of war. Bob, John, Dave, and Tony experience the devastating realities of combat, where there are no rules, injuries are fatal, and it ends when it ends. The trailer teases a unique take on war through sport with stunning visuals and emotional resonance.