Adam Driver, Scarlett Johansson and Miles Teller Enter James Gray's Criminal World in 'Paper Tiger' Trailer
Neon has released the first trailer for Paper Tiger, a crime thriller written and directed by James Gray, starring Adam Driver, Scarlett Johansson and Miles Teller. The trailer dropped on 10 August 2026, ahead of a limited theatrical release set for 13 November (Deadline).
Set in 1986 Queens, New York, the film follows two brothers on opposite sides of the law. Driver plays Gary, an ex-cop; Teller plays Isaac, an engineer. The two become entangled in a scheme involving the Russian mafia. Johansson plays Isaac's wife, who faces her own turmoil. Gray has said the story is loosely based on his own family's encounter with the Russian mafia in 1980s New York City (Deadline).
Neon tagged the film "a breathless thriller" when it posted the trailer to its Facebook account last month (Facebook).
Paper Tiger arrived on the festival circuit with some fanfare. Neon acquired the film just ahead of the Cannes Film Festival, where it was slotted in as a late addition to the 2026 Competition lineup. It received a ten-minute standing ovation after its premiere (Deadline). The film is also booked to open the New York Film Festival at the end of September.
Neon's release slate through the autumn gives a sense of where Paper Tiger fits. The distributor's official website lists The Wrong Girls for 21 August, It Ends for 9 September, the Palme d'Or winner Hope for 9 October, and fellow Palme d'Or winner Fjord for 16 October. Paper Tiger and Once Upon A Time In Harlem are both dated for 13 November (Neon).
The November slot puts Paper Tiger squarely in the corridor where distributors launch awards contenders — limited releases in select cities, building word of mouth before wider expansion. Gray is a film-maker whose previous work, including Armageddon Time and Ad Astra, has played the fall-festival circuit to strong reception.
For audiences, the trailer offers a first proper look at three major stars working under a director known for intimate, character-driven drama. The 1980s Queens setting and the Russian-mafia hook suggest a crime picture with personal stakes — a family story dressed in genre clothing.
Paper Tiger opens in limited release on 13 November 2026.
