Willem Dafoe Throws a Party That Spirals Out of Control in THE BIRTHDAY PARTY Trailer

There’s something instantly off about the celebration at the center of The Birthday Party, and the newly released trailer leans all the way into that uneasy vibe.

Anchored by the always fascinating Willem Dafoe, the film teases a lavish gathering that slowly turns into a pressure cooker of power, control, and family tension.

Dafoe has been on a serious run lately, stacking up projects year after year, and even after a packed 2025, he’s not slowing down. With The Birthday Party landing in theaters this June, it joins upcoming titles like Tenzing and Werwulf as part of his 2026 slate.

And if that wasn’t enough, he’s already working on his next film, Time Out, lined up for 2027. The guy just keeps going!

In The Birthday Party, Dafoe plays Marcos, a wealthy tycoon hosting an extravagant celebration for his daughter Sofia on his private Mediterranean island. It’s the late 1970s, the setting is gorgeous, and the guest list is filled with people who all seem to want something.

What starts as a glamorous event quickly reveals cracks beneath the surface as Marcos’ need to control every detail begins to spiral.

The film is directed by Miguel Ángel Jiménez, who also co-wrote the script alongside Giorgos Karnavas and Nicos Panagiotopoulos, adapting the novel by Panos Karnezis.

The cast around Dafoe includes Vic Carmen Sonne, Joe Cole, Emma Suárez, and Carlos Cuevas, all of whom appear to be caught in the chaos as the night unfolds.

The official synopsis reads: “The story is set in the late 1970s somewhere in the Mediterranean, where Marcos Timoleon, an Aristotle Onassis-like tycoon, is throwing a lavish, extravagant birthday party for Sofia, his daughter and sole heiress, on his exclusive private island.

“The party is a perfect excuse for various people in his life to approach him with their own agendas. But Marcos, who is used to ruthlessly controlling everything and everyone around him at whatever cost, is also secretly plotting a big decision on his daughter’s behalf.

“Sofia, however, has come to share some important news of her own. As guests start pouring in and night falls, the party grows rowdier and more decadent, while the inevitable clash between Marcos and Sofia reaches a heartbreaking climax.”

That feels like a recipe for disaster, and the trailer makes it clear things won’t stay civil for long. There’s an edge to Dafoe’s performance that suggests Marcos isn’t just controlling, he’s unraveling.

The Birthday Party actually premiered at the Locarno Film Festival, but with its wider release set for June 5, 2026.