Guy Ritchie to Oversee ‘Ray Donovan’ Spin-Off ‘The Donovans’

The writer/director is working on a new spin-off of the Liev Schreiber-starring series, which ran on Showtime for seven seasons, capped by a TV movie.

Liev Schreiber as Raymond "Ray" Donovan in 'Ray Donovan.' Photo: Showtime.

Preview:

Guy Ritchie is aboard a ‘Ray Donovan’ spin-off series.
The new series will be loosely based on the Live Schreiber show.
‘Top Boy’ creator Ronan Bennett will write all initial 10 episodes.

Though it will only launch on Netflix next week, Guy Ritchie’s series ‘The Gentleman’, which the writer/director created based on his 2019 gangster crime comedy, is clearly impressing people.

That includes Paramount, which is looking to the filmmaker to lead the creative team on a new series that loosely adapts Liev Schreiber drama ‘Ray Donovan’, which began on Showtime in 2013, ran for seven seasons and was finished via TV movie ‘Ray Donovan: The Movie’ in 2022.

Ritchie will be the main director and executive producer on the new series, which has been written by ‘Top Boy’ creator Ronan Bennett.

Ray Donovan: The Movie

"You can't outrun your legacy."

R1 hr 40 minJan 14th, 2022

Watch Ray Donovan: The Movie Online

What was ‘Ray Donovan' about?

Liev Schreiber as Raymond "Ray" Donovan in 'Ray Donovan.' Photo: Jeff Neumann/Showtime.

Created by Ann Biderman, the original series starred Schreiber as the title character, a tough nut fixer in the sprawling mecca of the rich and famous. Ray does the dirty work for LA’s top power players as the go-to guy who makes the problems of the city’s celebrities, superstar athletes, and business moguls disappear.

But the problems he can’t solve are his own and his family’s, especially when his violent father Mickey (Jon Voight) is released from prison. The show also starred Eddie Marsan, Dash Mihok and Kerris Dorsey.

What’s the story of ‘The Donovans’?

Guy Ritchie on the set of 'The Gentlemen.'

From the sounds of it, the new series will be along the lines of ‘The Gentlemen’ in connective tissue to the source material, i.e. taking place in a similar world, but not featuring the same characters.

In fact the new show –– which has Bennett scripting the first season of 10 episodes –– will relocate the idea to the UK.

Here’s the official synopsis:

“With the most powerful clients in Europe, ‘The Donovans’ will see family fortunes and reputations at risk, odd alliances unfold, and betrayal around every corner. And while the family might be London’s most elite fixers today, the nature of their business means there is no guarantee what’s in store tomorrow.”

This is what Bennett had to say about the new project:

“We’re going to deliver a show which provides massive thrills, entertainment and a huge rush of adrenaline for audiences around the world. At the same time, I’m totally focused on exploring real characters, in body and in soul, and I’m committed to writing stories with deep dramatic impact. We’re going to get under the skin of the criminal underworld, in a way which will show you the bone-deep truths of how they live and how it sometimes will — inevitably — impact on our own lives.”

When will ‘The Donovans’ be on screens?

The most surprising part of this story is that the show will apparently be ready to launch on Paramount+ with Showtime later this year.

Which means Ritchie has a film (‘The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare’, on screens in April) and two TV series all out in the same year. Presumably he has given up on the concept of sleep…