Netflix unveils the trailer for Ballad of a Small Player, a Macau-set drama starring Colin Farrell and Tilda Swinton from director Edward Berger.
Netflix has released the official trailer for Ballad of a Small Player, the upcoming drama set against the neon-lit casinos of Macau. The film will arrive in select theaters on October 15 before making its global streaming debut on Netflix on October 29.
The story follows Lord Doyle, played by Colin Farrell, a man trying to disappear into the chaos of Macau’s casino culture. Doyle spends his days gambling away what little he has left while drowning in alcohol and debt. Just when his situation seems impossible, he crosses paths with Dao Ming, portrayed by Fala Chen, a casino employee harboring secrets of her own who offers him an unexpected lifeline.
But Doyle’s escape won’t be easy. Tilda Swinton stars as Cynthia Blithe, a private investigator determined to chase him down and confront the past he is desperately avoiding. As Doyle struggles to claw his way toward redemption, reality itself begins to blur, pulling him deeper into a psychological spiral.
Ballad of a Small Player comes from acclaimed director Edward Berger, best known for All Quiet on the Western Front and Conclave. The film also features performances from Deanie Ip and Alex Jennings, alongside Farrell, Chen, and Swinton.
The screenplay was written by Rowan Joffe and is based on the novel The Ballad of a Small Player by Lawrence Osborne. The creative team includes producers Mike Goodridge, Edward Berger, and Matthew James Wilkinson; director of photography James Friend; production designer Jonathan Houlding; make-up and hair by Heike Merker; costumes by Lisy Christl; composer Volker Bertelmann; and editor Nick Emerson.
With its themes of debt, identity, and the thin line between chance and fate, Ballad of a Small Player promises to be a haunting and stylish addition to Netflix’s fall lineup.
Ballad of a Small Player premieres October 15 in select theaters and October 29 globally on Netflix.
