NEON has released the first official trailer for ‘Paper Tiger’ , the new crime drama written and directed by James Gray. The film stars Adam Driver, Miles Teller, and Scarlett Johansson in a story set in 1986 Queens, New York, where two brothers get caught up in a dangerous scheme involving the Russian mafia.
The trailer gives audiences a tense first look at the film, which already premiered in competition at the Cannes Film Festival and received a 10-minute standing ovation. ‘Paper Tiger’ will open the New York Film Festival in late September before its limited theatrical release on November 13, 2026.
Trailer Reveals Gritty 1980s New York Setting
The newly released trailer establishes the film’s atmospheric and gritty crime-thriller tone. Set against the backdrop of late-1980s New York, the footage shows the Pearl brothers navigating a world of organised crime, violence, and corruption.
The trailer suggests that what starts as a business opportunity quickly becomes a trap, with threats closing in around the brothers as their family gets dragged into danger. The visuals capture the period detail of 1980s Queens, grounding the story in a specific time and place that has shaped much of Gray’s filmography.
Plot: Two Brothers, One Dangerous Scheme
‘Paper Tiger’ follows brothers Gary Pearl (Adam Driver) and Irwin Pearl (Miles Teller). Gary is a former police officer, while Irwin works as an engineer trying to provide for his wife Hester (Scarlett Johansson) and their children.
The trouble begins when Irwin gets involved in what appears to be a lucrative business arrangement. But the deal brings the family into contact with the Russian mob. Gary, confident in his ability to manage risk, leads the siblings into a scheme that looks too good to be true.
Before long, paranoid Russian gangsters show up at the family’s doorstep. The promise of upward mobility collapses under the weight of fear, bad decisions, and increasingly dangerous consequences. The conspiracy threatens the brothers’ pursuit of the American Dream while putting strain on their relationship and placing their entire family in serious danger.
Johansson’s character, Hester, deals with her own turmoil as the situation escalates around her. She gradually realises how much danger has already entered their home.
Inspired by Director’s Own Family History
Gray has said the story is loosely based on his own family’s encounter with the Russian mafia in 1980s New York City. This personal connection gives the film an added layer of authenticity.
The filmmaker, known for ‘Little Odessa’ , ‘The Yards’ , ‘We Own the Night’ , and ‘Ad Astra’ , returns to the New York milieu that has shaped much of his work. ‘Paper Tiger’ marks his first film since 2022’s ‘Armageddon Time’ .
Gray has described the film as a love letter to his parents. His recurring fascination with the American Dream runs straight through the story—here, the promise of financial security becomes entangled with compromise, corruption, and the belief that ordinary people can control systems far more powerful than themselves.
“Paper Tiger” adds up on paper, and I suspect that Gray, a longtime critics’ darling, will get some of his best reviews for it.
— Variety’s Owen Gleiberman
Cast Reunites ‘Marriage Story’ Co-Stars
The film reunites Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson for the first time since Noah Baumbach’s ‘Marriage Story’ . Both actors are two-time Oscar nominees.
Miles Teller joins them as the second central brother. The supporting cast includes Gavin Goudey and Roman Engel.
The creative team behind the camera includes cinematographer Joaquín Baca-Asay, who previously worked with Gray on ‘We Own the Night’ . Christopher Spelman composed the score.
Gray produced the film alongside Rodrigo Teixeira, Anthony Katagas, Raffaella Leone, Andrea Leone, Marco Perego, Leonardo Maria del Vecchio, Gary Farkas, Carlo Salem, and Andrea Bucko.
Festival Success and Release Plans
‘Paper Tiger’ had its world premiere in competition at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival. The film was added as a late entry to the Competition lineup after NEON acquired it just ahead of the festival.
The Cannes screening received a 10-minute standing ovation. The Playlist gave the film an A rating and called it “authentic, poignant, and quietly devastating”.
Deadline’s Pete Hammond, who saw the film in Cannes, called it “superbly crafted by Gray, who knows how to twist a crime-genre tale into something fresh and pulse-pounding”. He added that “having a stake in these very recognisable characters is key to all of it working as well as it does, and casting actors on the level of Driver, Johansson and Teller makes [it] soar”.
Before its theatrical release, ‘Paper Tiger’ will open the New York Film Festival, which runs from September 25 to October 12, 2026.
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Theatrical Release Date
NEON will release ‘Paper Tiger’ in US cinemas with a limited release on November 13, 2026. A wider nationwide rollout will follow on November 20, 2026.
The film runs 114 minutes. International distribution plans have not yet been announced.
The November release positions the film squarely in awards season, with NEON betting on the starry drama to make an impact.
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