Cannes 2025 is shaping up to be a very interesting year for American cinema, mostly because there's barely any of it. Out of the entire competition lineup, only two US productions made the cut - and one of them just dropped a first look that has film nerds collectively losing their minds.
That film is Paper Tiger, directed by James Gray (the man behind Ad Astra and Armageddon Time), and it stars the unholy power trio of Adam Driver, Scarlett Johansson, and Miles Teller. Yes, all three of them. In the same movie. Competing at Cannes. You're allowed to feel things.
From sequel to something entirely its own
Here's the fun backstory: Paper Tiger apparently started life as a sequel to a previous project before Gray and his collaborators decided to tear it all down and rebuild. According to Vanity Fair, who scored the exclusive first look, it is now described as "a whole new movie." That kind of creative pivot either signals disaster or genius, and given the cast and director attached, it's probably safe to bet on the latter.
The film is being described as a tense family drama - which, if you know James Gray's work, means you should probably pre-order some tissues and maybe cancel your plans for the evening after you watch it. The man does not do light and breezy.
Why this actually matters
The fact that only two American films are in competition at Cannes this year is, honestly, a whole conversation in itself. Cannes has historically been a battleground for prestige Hollywood, so a year where the US is barely showing up in the main competition says a lot about the current state of big-budget American filmmaking - and perhaps even more about how seriously the festival jury is taking independent and internationally-minded productions.
Paper Tiger premiering on May 16 means the Cannes buzz machine is about to kick into full gear. Early word, reactions, and the inevitable Twitter discourse are all just around the corner.
Driver has been on an absolute tear of critically acclaimed work. Johansson is clearly in her serious-film era. And Teller, when given the right material, is genuinely one of the most watchable actors working today. Put them all in a room with James Gray and point a camera at them - what could go wrong?
Probably nothing. Probably absolutely nothing. We'll find out May 16.
