featuring @neonrated
Adam Driver, Scarlett Johansson and Miles Teller are at the centre of a tense new crime drama in the latest trailer for Paper Tiger, the upcoming film from acclaimed filmmaker James Gray.
Set in 1986 Queens, the film follows two brothers whose pursuit of the American Dream takes a dangerous turn when they become caught up in a scheme connected to the Russian mafia. What initially appears to be an opportunity to improve their lives quickly becomes a nightmare that threatens their family and puts their relationship to the ultimate test.
Driver stars as Gary Pearl, the brothers’ former-cop uncle, while Miles Teller plays engineer Irwin Pearl. Scarlett Johansson portrays Hester Pearl, Irwin’s wife, with the story placing the family at the centre of an increasingly volatile situation.
The new trailer gives audiences a closer look at the Pearls’ complicated circumstances as financial pressure, questionable decisions and criminal connections begin to collide. Gray’s direction appears to favour a slow-burning approach, gradually escalating the tension as the family’s American Dream begins to unravel.
The film marks Gray’s return to the crime-drama territory explored in earlier films including The Yards and We Own the Night, while continuing his interest in working-class New York families and the pressures surrounding them. Paper Tiger also represents Gray’s first feature since 2022’s Armageddon Time.
The film has already generated considerable awards-season conversation following its premiere in Competition at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival. The Cannes selection describes the story as one in which two brothers become entangled in a scheme that threatens their family, integrity and bond.
With Driver, Johansson and Teller leading a cast that also includes Gavin Goudey and Roman Engel, Paper Tiger is shaping up as one of the year’s major prestige dramas. The film runs for 115 minutes and is written and directed by Gray.
NEON will release Paper Tiger in select cinemas on November 13, 2026, before expanding its theatrical release.
Watch the trailer for Paper Tiger below.
