Paper Tiger (2026 film)
2026 film by James Gray
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Paper Tiger is a 2026 crime drama film written and directed by James Gray, starring Adam Driver, Scarlett Johansson and Miles Teller.[2]
- Rodrigo Teixeira
- Anthony Katagas
- Raffaella Leone
- Leonardo Maria Del Vecchio
- Gary Farkas
- Marco Perego
- Carlo Salem
- Andrea Bucko
| Paper Tiger | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | James Gray |
| Written by | James Gray |
| Produced by |
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| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Joaquín Baca-Asay |
| Edited by | Scott Morris |
| Music by | Christopher Spelman |
Production companies |
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| Distributed by | Neon |
Release date |
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Running time | 115 minutes |
| Countries |
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| Language | English |
| Budget | $15 million |
The film had its world premiere at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival on May 16, where it competed for the Palme d'Or.[3]
Premise
Two brothers pursue the American Dream but get entangled in a dangerous Russian mafia scheme that terrorizes their family, testing their bond as betrayal becomes possible.
Cast
- Adam Driver as Gary Pearl, a former police officer, Irwin's older brother, and Scott and Ben's uncle[1]
- Scarlett Johansson as Hester Pearl, Irwin's wife and Scott and Ben's mother
- Miles Teller as Irwin Pearl, an engineer, Gary's younger brother, Hester's husband, and Scott and Ben's father
- Gavin Goudey as Scott Pearl, Irwin and Hester's college-bound eighteen-year-old son
- Roman Engel as Ben Pearl, Irwin and Hester's younger son
- Victor Ptak as Simeon Bogoyavich, a fearsome Russian mob boss whom Gary and Irwin run afoul of
Production
Development
In November 2024, it was reported that Gray had set the project, titled Paper Tiger, as his next film, with a cast led by Adam Driver, Anne Hathaway and Jeremy Strong. Raffaella Leone was to produce for Leone Film Group alongside Rodrigo Teixeira for RT Features.[2] By May 2025, Hathaway and Strong had dropped out of the film due to other commitments, being replaced by Scarlett Johansson and Miles Teller, respectively.[4] The film was backed by Vixens, a Paris-based production banner.[5] In May 2026, Gray confirmed the film had a $15 million budget.[6]
Filming
Principal photography began in early June 2025 in Denville Township, New Jersey.[7] It was previously scheduled to begin in New Jersey in April 2025.[8]
Release
In April 2026, SND acquired French distribution rights.[9] Later that month, Neon acquired North American rights.[10]
The film had its world premiere in competition for the Palme d'Or at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival on May 16, where it received a 10-minute standing ovation.[11]
Reception
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 83% of 40 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.7/10.[12] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 77 out of 100, based on 20 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[13]