Since winning the Venice Silver Lion for his debut film Little Odessa in 1995, James Gray has consistently demonstrated his status as one of America's most reflective and contemplative filmmakers. From the gritty railroad drama of The Yards to the epic inner and outer journey of The Lost City Of Z, and the space-bound narrative of Ad Astra, Gray's films have always demanded close attention. Now, with the release of his most personal film to date, Armageddon Time in 2022, the director is collaborating once again with key actors from that project and introducing a fresh face to his cinematic universe for his latest venture.
As reported by Deadline, Anne Hathaway and Jeremy Strong are set to join Adam Driver in Paper Tiger, an original crime thriller both directed and written by Gray. The film, which is scheduled to be showcased at the American Film Market next week, follows two brothers (likely portrayed by Strong and Driver) whose pursuit of the American Dream is threatened when they become entangled in a scheme that initially appears too good to be true. The synopsis describes their harrowing journey: "As they navigate through a world increasingly fraught with corruption and violence, they and their family are brutally terrorized by the Russian 'Mafiya.' Their once-unbreakable bond begins to fracture, and betrayal, once unimaginable, becomes a looming possibility."
While we can speculate on the roles of Driver and Strong, the involvement of Hathaway in the narrative remains unclear. In Gray's semi-autobiographical Armageddon Time, Strong and Hathaway played the filmmaker's parents, Esther and Irving Graff. However, with filming expected to commence early next year, it won't be long before we see how Strong, Driver, and Hathaway integrate into the Paper Tiger storyline. (And yes, that was a subtle origami reference.)
Source link: https://www.empireonline.com
