Edward Berger’s last two films have both been major players at the Oscars, and now, Netflix has debuted the first teaser trailer for Ballad of a Small Player. Colin Farrell stars as Lord Doyle, a man who spends all day and night on casino floors in Macau.
As he struggles to manage his debts, Doyle receives a possible chance at salvation from casino employee Dao Ming (Fala Chen). However, a private investigator, played by Tilda Swinton, is hot on his heels and ready to confront him about his past.
The movie is adapted from Lawrence Osborne’s 2014 novel of the same name.
The teaser trailer doesn’t offer much in the way of plot details. It does preview yet another crisply shot film from Berger. The director is coming off the papal thriller Conclave, a massive critical and financial success.
For Ballad of a Small Player, Berger reteams with Netflix, the studio behind his Oscar-winning war epic, All Quiet on the Western Front.
The movie is set to hit theaters on October 15 before hitting Netflix on October 29. This short window is the typical theatrical run implemented by Netflix to make their films eligible for major awards.
The qualifying run might be short, but the streamer has some faith in the movie as an awards season player.
