A few years after the original series went off the air, a Ray Donovan spinoff was in the works entitled The Donovans, but the Guy Ritchie project has changed dramatically. Ray Donovan starred Liev Schreiber as the eponymous "fixer" who makes a living by getting rid of the problems of his rich and famous clients in Los Angeles. Across its seven seasons on the air, Ray Donovan became one of Showtime's greatest original programs, and continues to have a strong fanbase even years after its conclusion.

Despite being one of the channel's most popular series, Ray Donovan was unceremoniously canceled after season 7, and fans were left in the lurch without a true conclusion. Fortunately, fan demand resulted in a feature-length film in 2022, and Ray Donovan: The Movie finally concluded the character's decade-long arc. Then, the Ray Donovan franchise was set to return after a multi-year hiatus in the form of a brand-new spinoff called The Donovans that would have expanded the lore of the eponymous family and travel across the pond. What's more, legendary director Guy Ritchie was attached to helm the project.

The Donovans Is Canceled

The Ray Donovan Spinoff Has Changed Dramatically

The Association is currently in development, and has taken the place of The Donovans on Ritchie's schedule.

In the early months of 2024, it was revealed that Guy Ritchie would be overseeing a continuation of the Ray Donovan franchise entitled The Donovans. Few concrete details about the planned series ever emerged throughout the year, and Ritchie was the only name attached. However, in October 2024, The Donovans was ostensibly canceled as it was reworked into a standalone project. The Association is currently in development, and has taken the place of The Donovans on Ritchie's schedule.

The Gentlemen (based on the eponymous film by Guy Ritchie) has been renewed for a second season by Netflix.

The Donovans Has Now Become The Association

The Ray Donovan Spinoff Is Being Dropped In Favor Of A Standalone Story

Though developing projects get canceled all the time, The Donovans is unique because it is being canned by way of being completely re-worked. Now, the spinoff will become The Association and will borrow all the same story frameworks without the recognizable connection to Ray Donovan. Ritchie is still attached to The Association, and the series is currently circling Tom Hardy, Helen Mirren, and Pierce Brosnan.

A synopsis for the series was revealed, and it reads:

With the most powerful clients in Europe, Guy Ritchie’s The Associate 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.

Who Was Making The Donovans?

Guy Ritchie Was Going To Direct The Spinoff Series

Though a Ray Donovan spinoff was an exciting prospect on its own, the inclusion of Guy Ritchie as director was perhaps the most intriguing part of The Donovans. The legendary action director was set to helm all 10 episodes of the Paramount+ original series, and he is most known for films like Snatch and the 2009 Sherlock Holmes adaptation. Ritchie's action-oriented filmmaking style fits nicely with the tone of the Ray Donovan universe, and the spinoff could have been even more explosive than the original series.

ing Ritchie was novelist and screenwriter Ronan Bennett who penned the episodes of the highly-anticipated spinoff. Bennett's lengthy career as a writer stretches back to the early 1990s, but his film and TV work finally gained widespread notice in the 2000s. Bennett penned the script for 2009's Public Enemies, and he also created the critically applauded crime drama series Top Boy. Bennett's penchant for grittiness could balance out the generally upbeat tone of Ritchie's action style.

What Was The Story Of The Donovans?

The Spinoff Was Connected To The Original Series

Not much was known about the specifics of the story, but the basic framework of The Donovans has been revealed. Like its predecessor, the series would have followed a fixer in London who helps their high-profile clients make their problems go away. The decidedly European flare would have added a new wrinkle to the story, and it opened the door for all sorts of twists. Since the series was called The Donovans, it would have likely involved some of the titular clan, but few details have been released regarding the story.

One thing that was always highly unlikely was the return of Liev Schreiber as Ray Donovan. Although his character is still alive, Schreiber swore off the Ray Donovan series after the 2022 movie and probably wouldn't have been open to returning. However, a few familiar faces from the show could have popped up across the pond, or The Donovans could have devised some other clever way to connect the two.