David Corenswet Trades Superman Cape for 'Mr. Irrelevant'

The first trailer for 'Mr. Irrelevant' shows David Corenswet as Giants underdog John Tuggle, with the biopic set for Christmas Day release.

Paramount and Skydance Sports released the first trailer for *Mr. Irrelevant* on Sunday, timed to the close of the NFL's opening week, according to Deadline and TheWrap. The Jonathan Levine-directed biopic stars David Corenswet as John Tuggle, the late New York Giants running back who earned the 'Mr. Irrelevant' moniker as the final pick of the 1983 NFL Draft. The film is slated for a theatrical release on Christmas Day. Deadline describes it as a classic underdog story recounting Tuggle's final months before his death at age 25 of cancer in 1986, three years after the Giants drafted him.

The casting timing is what makes the project stand out. As MovieWeb notes, Corenswet is coming off playing Clark Kent in 2025's *Superman* and a supporting turn in *Supergirl*, with the sequel *Man of Tomorrow* ahead — yet he is taking top billing in a modestly budgeted sports tear-jerker rather than another blockbuster. MovieWeb reports the film cost only around $30 million to make, and says test audiences have responded very positively. The outlet also flags a Christmas corwd at the box office, with *Werwulf*, *Artificial*, and *Jumanji: Open World* opening the same day and *Avengers: Doomsday* and *Dune: Part Three* the week before. MovieWeb quips that an underdog biopic facing stiff odds is only fitting for Tuggle's story.

Tuggle, a Cal Golden Bears product, was the very last selection in 1983, a pick traditionally mocked with the 'Mr. Irrelevant' title. Per TheWrap, he combined a positive attitude, charm, and ironclad work ethic to earn a special teams spot on the Giants' 53-man roster; Yahoo reports he finished the year as the starting fullback, scored a touchdown, and was voted the team's special teams player of the year. In the 1984 offseason, a doctor visit after a minor car accident led to a cancer diagnosis, and Yahoo and TheWrap both report he kept working out with the team through chemotherapy.

The film doubles as a DC Comics reunion. Michael Shannon, who played General Zod in 2013's *Man of Steel*, portrays first-year Giants head coach Bill Parcells, while David Krumholtz — recently Zor-El in *Supergirl*, per Yahoo — also stars, alongside Isabel May as Tuggle's love interest. MovieWeb names her character Stephanie, while Deadline describes the role simply as Tuggle's newfound love, so the character details differ between outlets. The cast also includes Tuwaine Barrett, Thaddeus LaGrone, Alexander England, Spencer House, and Tandi Wright, per Deadline, which lists Nick Santora — creator of *Reacher* — as writer.

Tuggle's legacy carries unusual weight inside the Giants organization. TheWrap and Yahoo both report that the team wore his No. 38 as a helmet decal during the 1986-87 season, which ended with the Giants winning Super Bowl XXI over the Denver Broncos. TheWrap also reports the Giants paid for his health insurance through his treatments, keeping him on the roster as he fought the disease.

Audiences will next see Corenswet top-lining *Man of Tomorrow*, the Superman sequel MovieWeb says arrives next year, making *Mr. Irrelevant* one of the first major showcases of his range between superhero outings. Whether the biopic becomes the inspirational breakout MovieWeb's test-screening report hints at, or gets lost in the December crowd, will be answered on December 25, 2026, when Paramount opens the film in theaters nationwide.