The Ballad of Buster Scruggs is an American western anthology film written, directed, and produced by the Coen brothers . It stars Tim Blake Nelson , Liam Neeson , James Franco , Zoe Kazan , Tyne Daly , and Tom Waits . It premiered at the 75th Venice International Film Festival on August 31, 2018, where it won the Golden Osella Award for Best Screenplay and is scheduled to be released November 16 on Netflix after a theatrical run.