Could this be the biggest Hollywood movie shot in Macau, the Las Vegas of the East? What to know about The Ballad of a Small Player, starring Colin Farrell, Tilda Swinton and Fala Chen, filming this summer

Jun 14, 2024

Fala Chen, Tilda Swinton and Colin Farrell will star in The Ballad of a Small Player, which begins shooting in Macau this summer. Photos: AP Photo, Xinhua, HBO

Based on Lawrence Osborne’s 2014 novel of the same name, The Ballad of a Small Player stars Colin Farrell as an English con man passing himself off as a lord as he stays holed up in Macau

Tilda Swinton and Fala Chen are also confirmed to star, with filming in Macau set for June to August, and extras wanted – particularly those with professional casino or hotel experience

A major Hollywood production will be based in Macau over the summer – and is likely to join the ranks of a 1974 James Bond film and Now You See Me 2 (2016) as one of the biggest international films shot in the city dubbed the Las Vegas of the East.

On May 30, The Macao News reported that Oscar-nominated director Edward Berger will be filming in the former Portuguese enclave from June until August. The movie is based on a 2014 novel of the same name, with big-name stars signed on to the project including Colin Farrell, Tilda Swinton and Fala Chen.

It’s major kudos for this tiny city as it aims to raise its profile on the global stage. The city’s Cotai Strip includes the US-based casino resort brands MGM, Sands and Wynn; in pre-pandemic 2019, its gaming revenue was three times that of Las Vegas.