Nicholas Galitzine and Bill Skarsgard are officially teaming up for Mosquito Bowl, a new World War II film directed by Peter Berg and backed by Netflix.
Based on the 2022 novel by Buzz Bissinger (Friday Night Lights), the movie dives into a lesser-known but powerful slice of wartime history, college football players who traded stadiums for the battlefield.
Set in the shadow of Pearl Harbor, Mosquito Bowl tells the story of four top college football stars who enlist in the U.S. Marine Corps and eventually find themselves prepping for the brutal Battle of Okinawa. Before the chaos of war, they take part in a legendary football match among Marines, the titular Mosquito Bowl. For many, it would be their last game.
Galitzine, 30, has been making headlines recently for bulking up for his leading role as He-Man in the upcoming Masters of the Universe reboot. Skarsgard, best known for darker fare like It and the upcoming Nosferatu, will bring his intense screen presence to this emotionally charged ensemble.
Peter Berg, no stranger to sports-meets-drama storytelling, co-wrote the script with The Revenant’s Mark L. Smith and is producing through Film 44. Heavy hitters Brian Grazer and Alex Gayner are also on board via Imagine Entertainment, while Ezra Emanuel is executive producing.
Galitzine has been vocal about the physical demands of playing He-Man, noting he’s consuming about 4,000 calories a day and going through intensive stunt work. While that project is set for release in June 2026, Mosquito Bowl could offer a very different kind of performance, one rooted in humanity, brotherhood, and loss.
This casting move signals Netflix’s continued investment in prestige war dramas, especially ones with a sports or Americana twist. For fans of Band of Brothers or Friday Night Lights, this could be one to watch.
No release date for Mosquito Bowl has been announced yet, but production is expected to begin later this year.
