Adam Driver on the Creative Chaos of Megalopolis

Driver noted that the atmosphere on the Megalopolis set was defined by a rare lack of judgment, where no action felt out of place within the film's expansive world. He compared this collaborative freedom to the inherent instability of the stage, where the possibility of a performance going off the rails becomes a creative catalyst. By leaning into what he calls the potential disaster of theater, he found a way to work without the fear of making a mistake, a mindset he now aims to integrate into his film projects.

This approach carried over into his work on the upcoming crime thriller Paper Tiger, directed by James Gray. Driver explained that the strength of Gray’s script allowed him to avoid becoming fixated on a single interpretation, leaving room for spontaneity. Working alongside Miles Teller, he relied on improvisation to keep scenes dynamic, moving away from the rigid control he often imposes on his process. Paper Tiger premieres in select U.S. theaters on November 13, 2026, followed by a wide release on November 20.