Scarlett Johansson and Miles Teller join Adam Driver in James Gray’s next film Paper Tiger

Scarlett Johansson and Miles Teller are joining Adam Driver for James Gray's latest directorial venture, Paper Tiger. The cast is replacing Anne Hathaway and Jeremy Strong who were previously set to feature in the film. Gray is known for his filmmaking pursuits, with quite a few successful projects up his sleeve. The upcoming crime drama is also set to join his other successes, and with the ensemble announced as of now, there's all the more potential for the film to be a hit.

While not much information has been revealed to date, early reports of the film indicate that the film is "tense and gritty". The plot synopsis for the film reads,

“As they try to navigate their way through an ever-more dangerous world of corruption and violence, they find themselves and their family brutally terrorized by the Russian ‘Mafiya.’ Their bond begins to fray, and betrayal — once utterly unthinkable — now becomes all too possible.”

The title itself is explanatory. The term "paper tiger" is translated from a Chinese idiom, zhǐlǎohǔ, describing things that pose as intimidating and severe but in reality, are worthless or empty. The film will most likely explore similar themes of illusioned grandeur and how everything falls apart as a result of greed.

Paper Tiger is also significant because it marks a return to Gray’s more grounded, urban storytelling. While Ad Astra was a cerebral space epic and The Lost City of Z a sprawling jungle adventure, this new film brings Gray back to familiar terrain: working-class America, familial tension, and morally gray decision-making. Production is expected to begin in New Jersey this June, and more details are expected soon.

More about Paper Tiger's cast

'Marriage Story' - Photocall - The 76th Venice Film Festival - Source: Getty

This isn’t the first time Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver will share the screen, and if their last collaboration is a factor to be considered, we are in for something special. The actors previously appeared together in Noah Baumbach's Marriage Story (2019), where they delivered two of the most emotional, gut-wrenching performances we’ve seen in their careers.

Both of them received Oscar nominations for their roles as a couple whose marriage is breaking apart. Now, with James Gray’s Paper Tiger lined up, they’re coming together, but this time, in an entirely different universe. And while the context may be new, the emotional intensity these two bring to the screen is sure to remain just as devastatingly good.

As for Miles Teller, this won’t be the first time the Divergent actor dives headfirst into emotionally heavy territory, but Paper Tiger might just be one of his most exciting roles yet. Known for his ability to play complex, often volatile characters, Teller has built a reputation as one of Hollywood’s most compelling leading men. From the nerve-shredding tension of Whiplash to the quiet heartbreak of The Spectacular Now and the adrenaline of Top Gun: Maverick, he’s consistently brought a raw, lived-in energy to every performance.