Paramount Pictures and Skydance Sports have released the official trailer for Mr. Irrelevant: The John Tuggle Story, giving audiences their first extended look at David Corenswet in a role far removed from the cape and S-shield. The biographical sports drama arrives in theaters on Christmas Day, December 25, 2026.
The film recounts the true story of John Tuggle, a running back selected by the New York Giants with the final pick of the final round of the 1983 NFL Draft. That last-place distinction carries a longstanding, tongue-in-cheek nickname: Mr. Irrelevant. What followed was anything but.
Tuggle, a former California Golden Bear, made the Giants roster under first-year head coach Bill Parcells. He played one full season, earned the respect of teammates who initially underestimated him, and left a lasting mark on the franchise. Diagnosed with cancer in 1984, Tuggle died in August 1986 at age 25, just before the Giants’ Super Bowl XXI championship run. The team honored him by wearing his number 38 on their helmets that season.
Jonathan Levine (Warm Bodies, 50/50, Long Shot) directs from a screenplay by Nick Santora. Corenswet, last seen as Superman in James Gunn’s DC Universe, appears transformed—mustache, sandy blond hair, and a grounded physicality that makes him nearly unrecognizable. Michael Shannon portrays Parcells with the intensity the Hall of Fame coach was known for. Isabel May co-stars as Katie, a composite love interest, while David Krumholtz plays Julius “Whitey” Horai. Tuwaine Barrett features prominently as Tuggle’s training-camp roommate.
The trailer opens with Tuggle introducing himself in an orange “Mr. Irrelevant” jersey during a parade, then moves through draft-day disbelief, locker-room skepticism, on-field grit, and quieter moments of connection. Official synopsis language emphasizes perseverance: Tuggle “defied expectations on the field and off… proving that remarkable hope and perseverance can transcend even the greatest challenges.”
Filmed primarily in Victoria, Australia, with additional work in New Jersey and Los Angeles, the production is the first feature-length theatrical title from the NFL–Skydance Sports partnership. Test screenings have been strong enough for Paramount to lock in a Christmas Day wide release, a slot typically reserved for high-profile commercial and awards-season titles.
Corenswet’s post-Superman choice to play a real-life player whose career lasted one season and whose life ended at 25 is a notable pivot. Levine has said the role required an actor who could convey Tuggle’s charm and good nature while carrying the story’s heavier dramatic weight. Early reactions to the trailer suggest the film leans into both the inspirational underdog beats and the inevitable heartbreak.
Mr. Irrelevant opens nationwide on December 25.
