Colin Farrell is riding an extraordinary wave of career-defining performances, and his latest venture promises to be another masterclass in psychological complexity. BALLAD OF A SMALL PLAYER, the upcoming Netflix thriller from Oscar-winning director Edward Berger, positions the Irish actor in yet another morally ambiguous role that seems tailor-made for this remarkable chapter of his artistic journey.
Fresh off his tour-de-force performance as the grotesque yet surprisingly sympathetic Penguin in THE BATMAN franchise and his Oscar-nominated turn in THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN, Farrell has transformed himself from the Hollywood heartthrob of the early 2000s into one of cinema’s most compelling character actors. His ability to disappear completely into roles—whether beneath layers of prosthetics as Gotham’s crime boss or as the wounded, desperate Pádraic on a remote Irish island—has redefined what audiences expect from him.
In BALLAD OF A SMALL PLAYER, Farrell takes on Lord Doyle, an obsessive traveling gambler seeking refuge in the neon-soaked casinos of Macau, China, where his dark past threatens to destroy his carefully constructed exile. The first images from the film reveal Farrell in his element: haunted, desperate, and utterly consumed by the psychological weight of his character’s circumstances. It’s a role that feels like a natural evolution of the damaged men he’s been portraying with such devastating effectiveness.
Edward Berger, whose ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT earned him an Oscar and whose recent CONCLAVE garnered critical acclaim, brings his signature psychological intensity to Lawrence Osborne’s 2014 source novel. With Rowan Joffé adapting the screenplay -the same writer behind 28 WEEKS LATER and THE AMERICAN – the project assembles a creative team known for exploring the darker corners of human nature. Tilda Swinton rounds out the cast as the relentless detective pursuing Doyle, setting up what promises to be a cat-and-mouse thriller with serious dramatic weight. What makes this project particularly exciting is how it continues Farrell’s recent pattern of choosing roles that challenge both him and his audience. Gone are the days of conventional leading-man parts; instead, he’s gravitating toward characters who exist in moral gray areas, men struggling with addiction, obsession, and self-destruction.
BALLAD OF A SMALL PLAYER appears to be another entry in this fascinating catalog of broken souls brought to vivid life by an actor at the peak of his powers.
The film’s journey to audiences reflects the prestige surrounding the project. After its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 9, 2025, BALLAD OF A SMALL PLAYER will receive a limited theatrical release in the United States on October 15 and the United Kingdom on October 17, before arriving on Netflix on October 29.
Saoirse Ronan is heading back to the `60s! 🎸
The four-time Oscar nominee is reportedly set to play Linda McCartney in Sam Mendes` wildly ambitious THE BEATLES project—four separate films, each following a different Beatle.
She`ll star opposite Paul Mescal (her FOE co-star) as Paul McCartney, with Barry Keoghan as Ringo, Joseph Quinn as George, and Harris Dickinson as John.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
Cillian Murphy just confirmed THE IMMORTAL MAN drops in 2026 and Tommy Shelby is coming back with a vengeance. 🔥
Fresh off STEVE hitting Netflix, Murphy spilled the tea on The Graham Norton Show that the Peaky Blinders film has wrapped.
Watch now at irishfilmtv.com.
Graham Norton isn`t going anywhere!
The BBC has locked in three more series of THE GRAHAM NORTON SHOW - with 2.9 million viewers tuning in and clips going viral weekly, Norton continues to prove why he`s the gold standard for celebrity interviews.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
Cillian Murphy isn`t chasing blockbusters—he`s back in the classroom.
The Irish actor`s latest role in Netflix`s STEVE sees him playing a struggling teacher at a last-chance reform school, proving once again that he`s more interested in transformation than validation.
Watch Cillian`s TODAY interview via link in bio.
🖤⚡️ JESSIE BUCKLEY IS COMING BACK TO LIFE! ⚡️🖤
Ireland`s Irish powerhouse transforms into a Gaga-esque flapper brought back to life as the companion of Christian Bale`s creature in Maggie Gyllenhaal`s electrifying new take on THE BRIDE!
New trailer at irishfilmtv.com.
🌟 From THE WITCHER to DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS to EVERYTHING NOW.
Dublin`s @niamhhmccormack_ has been quietly building one of the most impressive portfolios in Irish acting.
Don`t miss her in HOUSE OF GUINNESS, now streaming on @netflix.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
🌊 When Oscar-nominated Stephen Rea (THE CRYING GAME, MICHAEL COLLINS, V FOR VENDETTA) lends his legendary voice to a haunting tale of shipwreck and survival, you know something magical is about to happen.
📍 @irishculturalcentre, Hammersmith
🗓️ November 8-9 ONLY
🎭 Don`t miss this exclusive London run!
More at irishfilmtv.com.
🎬 Cillian Murphy is absolutely unstoppable right now!
Three incredible performances in a row: Oscar winner OPPENHEIMER ✨ SMALL THINGS LIKE THESE 💫 and now STEVE - a powerhouse drama about a school headteacher fighting his own demons while saving troubled kids.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
THE WEIR is haunting London`s Harold Pinter Theatre until 6 Dec, and it`s pure magic. Brendan Gleeson makes his West End debut alongside an incredible cast in Conor McPherson`s modern masterpiece - with the playwright himself directing for the first time!
"It`s already a classic in the canon of world theatre," says Seán McGinley, and honestly? We believe him. Sometimes the most powerful stories happen over a pint, in the space between words, where kindness becomes community.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
🏆 IRISH TALENT TAKES TORONTO!
Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal just won BIG at TIFF with HAMNET - snagging the People`s Choice Award that`s basically an Oscar crystal ball ✨
More at irishfilmtv.com.
From strolling London`s Highbury Fields to stepping into Paul McCartney`s shoes 🎸✨
Paul Mescal is living proof that staying grounded while reaching for the stars isn`t just possible—it`s the secret sauce. Fresh off HAMNET and deep in rehearsals for Sam Mendes` Beatles biopics, this Irish charmer is redefining what it means to be a modern movie star.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
🔥 When Margot Robbie had a "suspicion" her chemistry with Colin Farrell would work in A BIG BOLD BEAUTIFUL JOURNEY... she was absolutely right! ✨
These two icons dive into Kogonada`s A BIG BOLD BEAUTIFUL JOURNEY where strangers Sarah and David rent mysterious cars that transport them through doorways to their childhood memories. Talk about a wild ride! 🚗💫
More at irishfilmtv.com.
Paul Mescal and Josh O`Connor playing LIE vs LIE is the chaotic energy we didn`t know we needed 😂
These THE HISTORY OF SOUND co-stars swap outrageous stories, questionable audition tales, and awkward fan encounters—and honestly, we can`t tell what`s real anymore 🤷♀️
Watch now at irishfilmtv.com.
Netflix has assembled a powerhouse Irish cast for their upcoming adaptation of Marian Keyes` bestselling novel GROWN UPS.
Sarah Greene (BAD SISTERS) leads alongside Barry Ward, Aisling Bea (THIS WAY UP), Robert Sheehan (UMBRELLA ACADEMY), Adrian Dunbar (LINE OF DUTY) and more incredible talent ✨
This 8-part series follows the chaotic Casey family as they navigate grief, love, and the messy reality of being "grown up".
More at irishfilmtv.com.
Cillian Murphy`s Oscar win for OPPENHEIMER wasn`t just a personal triumph — it was the moment Hollywood finally recognized what the Irish have known all along.
Catch him next in STEVE—in theatres September 19th, streaming on Netflix October 3rd.
New COLBERT interview now at irishfilmtv.com.
