Colin Farrell Risks It All in Wild Trailer for Edward Berger’s Netflix Movie ‘Ballad of a Small Player’
Image Credit: Courtesy Of TIFF
Farrell dives headfirst into a high-stakes world of gambling and deceit in Edward Berger’s slick adaptation of Lawrence Osborne’s novel, premiering at TIFF before hitting Netflix this fall.
Colin Farrell takes a sharp turn back into psychological territory with Ballad of a Small Player, Edward Berger’s latest feature for Netflix that promises a gripping mix of danger, desire, and moral decay. The newly released teaser trailer hints at an audaciously stylish ride, positioning Farrell as a gambler with everything to lose and nothing left to hide.
Adapted from Lawrence Osborne’s 2014 novel, the film stars Farrell as Lord Doyle, a mysterious high-roller drowning in debt and scandal. Hiding out in Macau’s neon-lit casinos, Doyle’s attempts to keep a low profile crumble when he crosses paths with Dao Ming (Fala Chen), an enigmatic casino employee whose proposition could change his fortunes—or seal his downfall. Standing in his way is Cynthia Blithe, a cunning private investigator played by Tilda Swinton, whose steely gaze adds another layer of menace to Doyle’s spiral.
The trailer delivers a montage of sharp, unnerving moments: Farrell slumped in a shower, cracking open a lobster in a hotel room, screaming across the gambling table, and staring into the blaze of a raging fire. It’s a fever dream of images that capture the desperation and bravado of a man clinging to the last of his luck. In one striking line, Farrell snarls, “I may be out of puff, but I still have my balls.” It’s as much a mission statement as it is a declaration of defiance.
Image Credit: Courtesy Of TIFF
Berger, hot off his Academy Award–winning success with All Quiet on the Western Front and the acclaimed thriller Conclave, brings his precise visual command to the neon-soaked underworld of Ballad of a Small Player. With a script penned by Rowan Joffe, the film balances cerebral character study with genre thrills, teasing both critical appeal and audience buzz.
Netflix has slated a limited theatrical run ahead of its global streaming debut: the film opens in select U.S. theaters on October 15, rolls out in the U.K. and Ireland two days later, and will stream worldwide starting October 29. Before then, Ballad of a Small Player makes its highly anticipated world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, positioning it as a major fall player on the festival circuit. Farrell will also be honored with the Golden Icon Award at the Zurich Film Festival on September 27, underlining the prestige surrounding the project.
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Rounding out the cast are Deanie Ip and Alex Jennings, who add further weight to this high-stakes drama. With Farrell in full command of his charismatic volatility, Swinton’s icy presence, and Chen’s quiet allure, the film looks set to blend taut suspense with unexpected intimacy.
If All Quiet on the Western Front cemented Berger as a filmmaker of scale and gravitas, Ballad of a Small Player appears poised to showcase his ability to thrill with contemporary urgency, turning a tale of gambling debts into a meditation on fate, greed, and survival.
Watch The Trailer Below:
