The boutique distributor has locked down North American rights to the Armageddon Time filmmaker’s latest feature, assembling one of the year’s most star-studded casts.
———————-
NEW YORK — Neon, the distributor behind such acclaimed titles as Parasite and Longlegs, has acquired North American rights to an as-yet-untitled crime drama from director James Gray, starring Scarlett Johansson, Adam Driver, and Miles Teller, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed.
The deal represents one of the more significant acquisition moves of the season and positions Neon as the North American home for what is shaping up to be a high-profile project from one of American cinema’s most respected filmmakers. Gray, who last brought Armageddon Time to Cannes in 2022 and is currently generating considerable festival buzz with Paper Tiger in this year’s Official Selection, appears to be in a remarkably prolific creative phase.
Details about the film’s plot are being kept tightly under wraps, but the combination of Gray’s pedigree and a cast headlined by Johansson, Driver, and Teller has already made it one of the industry’s most-watched projects. All three stars are at high points of their careers: Johansson continues to command major studio attention following her post-Marvel solo projects, Driver has become one of the most in-demand actors of his generation, and Teller has built a formidable track record across franchises and prestige fare.
Neon’s acquisition strategy has historically leaned toward awards-contending fare with crossover commercial appeal — a description that appears to fit this project neatly. The distributor will oversee theatrical release planning and awards positioning once a release date is established.
International sales are expected to be handled separately, with the project likely to attract significant attention from major buyers at the upcoming Cannes Marché du Film, where Gray’s other film is already generating conversation.
For Neon, the deal continues a pattern of aggressive acquisitions that have made the company a key player in the marketplace for prestige independent and specialty cinema. The distributor’s willingness to invest in filmmaker-driven projects with strong commercial casts has allowed it to occupy a distinctive position between the major studios and the traditional art house.
No release date has been announced, but industry observers expect the film to be positioned for the 2026–2027 awards cycle, potentially targeting a late fall theatrical window that would put it in contention for the following year’s Oscar season. Representatives for Neon declined to comment on deal terms.
