Scarlett JohanssonandAdam Driver’slatest reunion received its first official look ahead of a highly anticipated premiere. The formerMarriage Storyco-stars return to the screen together in a project that has already generated significant buzz.
Neon reveals first-look photo of Paper Tiger
Neon dropped the first-look photo from James Gray’s Paper Tiger on X on May 8. The distributor captioned the image, “PAPER TIGER, a film by James Gray. Premiering in competition at Cannes 2026.” The post arrived days after Neon locked North American distribution rights.
Adam Driver, Scarlett Johansson and Miles Teller lead the crime drama thriller. Gray wrote and directed the film, which follows two brothers chasing the American Dream. Their pursuit ultimately pulls them into a dangerous scheme linked to the Russian mafia.
The official synopsis describes the brothers navigating a world of corruption and violence. Their family faces brutal terrorization from the Russian “Mafiya” as their bond begins to fray. Meanwhile, betrayal shifts from unthinkable to inevitable as the pressure mounts around them.
Rodrigo Teixeira produced the film under his RT Features banner alongside Anthony Katagas. Raffaella Leone, Gary Farkas, Marco Perego, Carlo Salem and Andrea Bucko also produced. Lee Broda, Jeff Rice, Riccardo Maddalosso and Emily Salveson served as executive producers.
Gray originally announced the project in November 2024 with Driver, Anne Hathaway and Jeremy Strong attached. However, Hathaway and Strong departed due to other commitments by May 2025. Johansson and Teller then replaced them before principal photography began in June 2025 in Denville Township, New Jersey.
SND acquired French distribution rights in April 2026 before Neon secured the North American deal. The film premieres on May 16 at the 79th Cannes Film Festival in the main competition. It competes for the Palme d’Or, marking Gray’s return to the Croisette after Armageddon Time debuted there in 2022.
Paper Tiger runs 115 minutes and features cinematography by Joaquín Baca-Asay. Christopher Spelman composed the score for the film.
