Tom Hardy, Helen Mirren and Pierce Brosnan to Star in ‘The Associate’

The new Paramount+ series from the creator and director of ‘The Gentlemen’ was originally conceived as a ‘Ray Donovan’ spin-off.

(Left) Tom Hardy stars as Johnny in director Jeff Nichols' 'The Bikeriders,' a Focus Features release. Credit: Kyle Kaplan/Focus Features. © 2024 Focus Features, LLC. All Rights Reserved. (Center) Helen Mirren as Grandmère in 'White Bird'. Photo Credit: Larry Horricks. (Right) Pierce Brosnan in 1999's 'The Thomas Crown Affair'. Photo: MGM.

Preview:

Tom Hardy, Helen Mirren and Pierce Brosnan will star in ‘The Associate.’
Guy Ritchie is overseeing the new show, which has links to ‘Ray Donovan.’
‘Top Boy’ creator Ronan Bennett will write all initial 10 episodes.

In March, we brought word of filmmaker Guy Ritchie developing a new TV series for Paramount+ that would be a spin-off of ‘Ray Donovan’ set in London.

The original ‘Ray Donovan’ series starred Liev 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 he also had to juggle family issues, particularly his ex-con father, played by Jon Voight.

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

This new show seems unlikely (at least at this point, it’s still being kept mostly under wraps) to feature anyone from ‘Ray Donovan,’ and indeed its title has shifted from ‘The Donovans’ to ‘Guy Ritchie’s The Associate.’ But thanks to Deadline, we do at least know who will appear.

According to Deadline, Tom Hardy, Helen Mirren and Pierce Brosnan are all in final negotiations for the new series, which is backed by Paramount+.

What’s the story of ‘The Associate’?

Tom Hardy stars as Johnny in director Jeff Nichols' 'The Bikeriders,' a Focus Features release.

Featuring a family of fixers who solve problems for the most powerful clients in Europe, ‘The Associate will see fortunes and reputations at risk, odd alliances unfold, and betrayal around every corner; as the nature of their business means there is no guarantee what’s in store tomorrow.

Hardy –– who appeared in Ritchie’s ‘RocknRolla’ –– will play Harry, the main fixer, a man who is as dangerous as he is handsome.

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Mirren and Brosnan ––who recently finished working together on the Netflix film adaptation of Richard Osman’s mystery novel ‘The Thursday Murder Club’ –– would star as the crime family’s matriarch and patriarch, respectively.

Who else is working on ‘The Associate’?

Guy Ritchie on the set of 'The Gentlemen.'

Ritchie, who, let’s not forget also has his TV spin-off of ‘The Gentlemen’ headed for a second season on Netflix and a film career to keep bubbling along, will be an executive producer and direct the 10-episode initial run of the show.

The actual writing and show-running duties fall to Ronan Bennett, who created ‘Top Boy’ and wrote movies such as ‘Face’ and ‘Public Enemies.’

When will ‘Guy Ritchie’s The Associate’ be on screens?

Given that it just started filming last month, we’re not sure we see the series debuting later this year as originally planned (though with Ritchie’s output of late, it’s not impossible), and would predict it’ll see screens next year.

Actor Jake Gyllenhaal (left) and director Guy Ritchie (right) on the set of 'The Covenant,' a Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures film. Credit: Christopher Raphael / Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures.