Ray Donovan Movie Casts Netflix Star as Young Ray

Earlier this year came the news that after a surprise series cancellation, Showtime was moving forward with a feature-length Ray Donovan movie to wrap up the TV show. Now we know a little more about what to expect from the show which will include some flashback elements as a young version of Liev Schreiber's character will appear. According to a report from Deadline, Chris Gray (of Netflix's cancelled series The Society) has been tapped to play the part of young Ray in the upcoming movie. A description from the trade reads: "Like his older self, he is a physically imposing young man who can convey much with only a few words and is decisive and calm in times of crisis."

"When RAY DONOVAN went off our air after seven great seasons, we heard from so many of its loyal fans that they were not ready to say goodbye to Ray and the wonderfully dysfunctional Donovan clan," Gary Levine co-President of Entertainment, Showtime Networks Inc. previously said in a statement. "And so, for them, we are delighted that Liev and David are creating a thrilling new chapter of this iconic series." The new film picks up where season seven left off, with Mickey in the wind and Ray determined to find and stop him before he can cause any more carnage. It will also weave together the present-day fallout from the Donovan/Sullivan feud with Ray and Mickey's origin story from 30 years ago.

In addition to starring in the film, Schreiber will co-write the script alongside series showrunner David Hollander, who will also direct. Jon Voight will return as Ray's criminal father Mickey Donovan.

Fans of the series were clamoring for one more season to get a resolution after Ray Donovan ended its seventh season on a major cliffhanger.

In the episode, Ray discovered that his new employer (and father of his new love interest), James Sullivan (Peter Gerety), was the man that drove Ray's late sister Bridget to commit suicide, after becoming pregnant with James Sullivan's baby - something the Irish crime boss would not openly acknowledge. Ray murdered James in cold blood, leaving his new girlfriend Molly Sullivan (Kerry Condon) with the horrible feeling that her actions put Ray on the path to kill her father. Meanwhile, Ray's daughter Bridget didn't yet know her husband Smitty was killed; Terry Donovan was thinking of killing himself; while it was uncertain how long characters like Bunchy and Daryll Donovan could keep going with the spiritual toll of the 'family business.'

Production on the Ray Donovan movie is scheduled to begin this year.