Colin Farrell jokes about 'jolly' new drama

Colin Farrell has jokingly described his new film as a "jolly tale of addiction".

The actor plays Lord Doyle, a conman and gambling addict who spends his days at a casino in the thriller Ballad of a Small Player.

During an appearance on tonight's episode of The Graham Norton Show, Farrell made light of his troubled character's depressing plotline.

"It is a jolly tale of addiction and desperation, and looking in all the wrong places for a sense of who you are," he explained. "My character's life is all smoke and mirrors and he is about to hit rock bottom."

Ballad of a Small Player, which also stars Tilda Swinton, premiered at the Telluride Film Festival in August. It will be released on Netflix on 29 October.

Elsewhere in the interview, Farrell was quizzed on whether he would reprise his role as The Penguin.

While the 49-year-old actor enjoyed playing the iconic villain in 2022 film The Batman and TV series The Penguin, he insisted he's ready to explore new projects.

Farrell revealed: "It was an amazing experience, like nothing I had ever been part of before, but I have no burning desire to play the character again in another film."

The star confirmed The Penguin will feature in "a few scenes" in the upcoming The Batman: Part II, slated for a 2027 release. Farrell revealed he was given the script a "few months ago" and described it as "extraordinary".

The Graham Norton Show airs on BBC One and iPlayer at 10.40pm tonight.