James Gray has officially started production on his next film, “Paper Tiger,” a domestic crime drama that marks his first feature in nearly four years. Production began this week in New Jersey.
Last month, Scarlett Johansson and Miles Teller joined the project, stepping in for the previously announced Anne Hathaway and Jeremy Strong. Adam Driver remains on board. Personally, swapping Strong for Teller felt like a step down, but Johansson replacing Hathaway isn’t as bad.
“Paper Tiger” centers on two brothers chasing the American Dream, only to become ensnared in a seemingly perfect scheme that unravels into a nightmare. As their world collapses into violence and corruption, their family finds itself under threat from the Russian “Mafiya,” pushing their bonds to the breaking point.
Gray penned the script himself, and the film was initially intended to reunite him with his “Armageddon Time” leads, Hathaway and Strong. Hathaway appears to be tied up with Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” and is reportedly shooting “The Devil Wears Prada 2” in June. This will be Driver’s first collaboration with Gray, continuing his trend of working with top-tier directors.
One would expect “Paper Tiger” to show up at next year’s Cannes Film Festival, which is where Gray has premiered five of his films.
Gray, 56, is a filmmaker with a loyal following, revered for his classically influenced style that echoes cinema’s golden eras. While not always a mainstream favorite, he’s earned consistent critical praise—especially from the French—which has helped sustain a career marked by artistic ambition and emotional depth.
A native of Queens, Gray can be hit and miss, but when he’s on his game, with films like “Two Lovers” —arguably his finest work—and “The Lost City of Z,” a rare, and haunting beauty seeps in every frame.