James Gray’s ‘Paper Tiger’ Trailer Teases an Oscar-Caliber Crime Drama With Adam Driver, Scarlett Johansson, and Miles Teller

James Gray has built a career on dissecting the American Dream through the lens of ambition, class, and family loyalty, crafting some of the more emotionally layered crime dramas of the past two decades. His latest project continues that tradition, bringing together a trio of A-list stars for what’s already generating serious awards season buzz.

That buzz has been building steadily since the film’s premiere earlier this year, when it debuted to significant acclaim on the festival circuit before Neon quickly moved to acquire distribution rights. Now, with a wider theatrical release finally approaching, audiences are getting their fullest look yet at what the film has in store.

Neon has released the official trailer for ‘Paper Tiger,’ James Gray’s latest crime drama starring Adam Driver, Miles Teller, and Scarlett Johansson. Set in 1986 Queens, the film follows brothers Gary, an ex-cop played by Driver, and Irwin, an engineer played by Teller, as they become entangled in a scheme that pulls them into the dangerous orbit of the Russian mafia.

The plan threatens to unravel everything the brothers have worked toward, fraying family bonds and putting their entire household at risk in the process. Johansson plays Irwin’s wife, Linda, a character navigating her own turmoil as the consequences of her family’s entanglement with organized crime begin closing in around them.

“An utterly gripping thriller.” Adam Driver, Miles Teller, and Scarlett Johansson star in PAPER TIGER, written and directed by James Gray. Opens only in theaters November. pic.twitter.com/umJzQI03Iq

— NEON (@neonrated) September 22, 2026

‘Paper Tiger’ continues Gray’s long-standing fascination with characters chasing financial security only to find themselves confronting the darker costs of that pursuit. The film explores loyalty, betrayal, and the lengths people will convince themselves are necessary to get ahead, themes that have run through much of Gray’s filmography over the years.

The supporting cast includes Gavin Goudey and Roman Engel as the Pearl family’s sons, alongside Cindy Katz, Yves Garvy, and Dimiter D. Marinov rounding out the ensemble. Gray wrote, directed, and produced the film alongside a team of producers including Rodrigo Teixeira and Anthony Katagas, with cinematographer Joaquín Baca-Asay behind the camera.

‘Paper Tiger’ premiered in competition at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year, reportedly earning a ten-minute standing ovation following its screening. Neon had acquired the film just ahead of the festival, adding it as a late edition to the 2026 Competition lineup after recognizing its awards season potential.

Deadline’s Pete Hammond, who reviewed the film after catching it at Cannes, praised Gray’s handling of the material. The film is “superbly crafted by Gray, who knows how to twist a crime-genre tale into something fresh and pulse-pounding,” Hammond wrote, adding that casting actors of Driver, Johansson, and Teller’s caliber “makes [it] soar,” according to his review for Deadline.

Given the strength of its Cannes reception, ‘Paper Tiger’ is reportedly being positioned for a significant awards push from Neon, with Driver expected to campaign in the Best Supporting Actor category, Johansson in Best Supporting Actress, and Teller for Best Actor. That kind of coordinated strategy signals just how much confidence the studio has in the film’s overall reception heading into the fall.

The film is also set to open the 64th New York Film Festival ahead of its wider theatrical release, giving it another high-profile platform to build momentum before hitting general audiences. That festival placement further cements ‘Paper Tiger’ as one of the season’s more prestigious awards contenders.

‘Paper Tiger’ is set for a limited theatrical release beginning November 13, before expanding nationwide on November 20. With a Cannes standing ovation, glowing critical reception, and a stacked awards season campaign already taking shape, the film looks positioned to be one of the fall’s most talked-about releases.

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