{"id":638508,"date":"2026-05-12T12:30:17","date_gmt":"2026-05-12T12:30:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/638508\/"},"modified":"2026-05-12T12:30:17","modified_gmt":"2026-05-12T12:30:17","slug":"movie-set-on-foster-care-journey-to-nfl","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/638508\/","title":{"rendered":"Movie Set on Foster Care Journey to NFL"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n\tBuffalo Bills<\/a> running back and kick returner Ray Davis\u2019 journey in the foster care system is barreling forward as a feature film.<\/p>\n

\n\tCrossroad Productions is in development on the inspirational drama movie Breakaway Ray, which has Gary Fleder (Runaway Jury, The Express, Reacher<\/a>) set to direct from a script by Point Break and Varsity Blues screenwriter W. Peter Iliff, The Hollywood Reporter has learned. Blue Fox Financing is financing the project that has the support of the NFL<\/a>\u2018s Buffalo Bills and the Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.<\/p>\n

\n\tBreakaway Ray centers on the early years for the athlete who earned a spot in the NFL\u2019s most recent Pro Bowl. The film that is in the works would center on a 9-year-old Davis in San Francisco as he deals with poverty, due to his mother battling addiction and his incarcerated father not being in the picture. After spotting a poster for youth mentoring group Big Brothers Big Sisters, Davis makes a call and is paired with Patrick, a young Google employee who becomes his mentor and must soon navigate Davis\u2019 dad also wanting to be involved in his life.<\/p>\n

\n\tCasting is currently underway to find a young actor to portray Davis, whom the Bills took in the fourth round of the 2024 draft out of the University of Kentucky. Breakaway Ray is eyeing a February 2027 production launch in Davis\u2019 hometown of San Francisco, with the sports<\/a> project having secured the California Film Tax Credit and the Scene in San Francisco incentive program. Patrick Rizzotti (Pride, The Collector, The Super) produces the movie that counts Lanie Albin as co-producer. <\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\tRay Davis takes a photo with Buffalo Bills fans during an NFL game on Nov. 2.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJason Miller\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

\n\tThe Buffalo Bills had a rocky stretch over the years \u2014 which included losing four consecutive Super Bowls in the 1990s \u2014 before an era of renewal that began with the drafting<\/a> of superstar quarterback Josh Allen<\/a> in 2018. Since then, the Bills have shed their status as a punchline and become a Hollywood darling, with the team starring on the most recent season of HBO\u2019s Hard Knocks<\/a> and THR having previously reported that a documentary is in the works<\/a> about defensive player Damar Hamlin<\/a> and his recovery from on-field cardiac arrest. <\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cMentorship has been proven to be one of the most powerful ways to change the trajectory of a young person\u2019s life \u2014 and Ray\u2019s story is an impactful example of what happens when young people, regardless of their circumstances, have the opportunity to dream bigger and realize their potential,\u201d says Big Brothers Big Sisters of America chief marketing and communications officer Adam Vasallo.<\/p>\n

\n\tRizzotti adds, \u201cRay\u2019s story transcends . It\u2019s about the universal need for connection, hope and mentorship. This project represents what storytelling is meant to do, and I\u2019m very lucky to be a part of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tDavis notes his pride that his path has allowed him to support young people in foster care: \u201cFootball gave me something no one else did \u2014 it gave me a reason to keep going. If my story helps even one kid feel seen, or inspires one mentor to step up, then everything I went through was worth it.\u201d <\/p>\n

\n\tIliff says, \u201cMy months interviewing Ray, his father and Big Brother Patrick ignited a passion in me that I\u2019ve seldom experienced in my writing. The unbreakable human spirit displayed by young Ray is a reminder that anything is possible in this life.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tFleder emphasizes that the film won\u2019t be a \u201cglossy Hollywood version of a sports legend.\u201d He explains, \u201cIt needs grit, urgency and rawness. This film will capture both the harsh realities Ray faced and the quiet power of someone simply showing up.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tAdds Buffalo Bills vp of communications Derek Boyko, \u201cThis project is more than a movie \u2014 it\u2019s a lifeline of hope to children across our country facing similar challenges. Getting to know Ray and Patrick, and learning about their relationship, has been truly inspiring.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tThe film\u2019s team hopes to give attention to the more than 300,000 children currently in the U.S. foster care system. The project will also highlight the importance of mentorship through programs like Big Brothers Big Sisters, which has partnered with the NFL since 2019.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cWe\u2019re excited to welcome this production to San Francisco and to help tell Ray Davis\u2019 powerful story where it all began,\u201d says Manijeh Fata, executive director of Film SF for the San Francisco Film Commission. \u201cWe\u2019re grateful to the production team for their commitment to authenticity and choosing to film here. It\u2019s an honor to support a project that highlights resilience, mentorship and the spirit of a city where people find strength and hope.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tDavis is represented by Ed Barry of CAA. Iliff and Fleder are repped by David Saunders of AIG. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Buffalo Bills running back and kick returner Ray Davis\u2019 journey in the foster care system is barreling forward…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":638509,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[67],"tags":[1807,50340,399,1817,398,396,397,349,54307,99],"class_list":["post-638508","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-ncaa-football","tag-buffalo-bills","tag-damar-hamlin","tag-football","tag-josh-allen","tag-ncaa","tag-ncaa-football","tag-ncaafootball","tag-nfl","tag-reacher","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/638508","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=638508"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/638508\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/638509"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=638508"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=638508"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=638508"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}