Buffalo Bills running back and kick returner Ray Davis’ journey in the foster care system is barreling forward as a feature film.
Crossroad Productions is in development on the inspirational drama movie Breakaway Ray, which has Gary Fleder (Runaway Jury, The Express, Reacher) 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‘s Buffalo Bills and the Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.
Breakaway Ray centers on the early years for the athlete who earned a spot in the NFL’s 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’ dad also wanting to be involved in his life.
Casting 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’ hometown of San Francisco, with the sports 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.
Ray Davis takes a photo with Buffalo Bills fans during an NFL game on Nov. 2.
Jason Miller/Getty Images
The Buffalo Bills had a rocky stretch over the years — which included losing four consecutive Super Bowls in the 1990s — before an era of renewal that began with the drafting of superstar quarterback Josh Allen 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’s Hard Knocks and THR having previously reported that a documentary is in the works about defensive player Damar Hamlin and his recovery from on-field cardiac arrest.
“Mentorship has been proven to be one of the most powerful ways to change the trajectory of a young person’s life — and Ray’s 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,” says Big Brothers Big Sisters of America chief marketing and communications officer Adam Vasallo.
Rizzotti adds, “Ray’s story transcends . It’s about the universal need for connection, hope and mentorship. This project represents what storytelling is meant to do, and I’m very lucky to be a part of it.”
Davis notes his pride that his path has allowed him to support young people in foster care: “Football gave me something no one else did — 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.”
Iliff says, “My months interviewing Ray, his father and Big Brother Patrick ignited a passion in me that I’ve seldom experienced in my writing. The unbreakable human spirit displayed by young Ray is a reminder that anything is possible in this life.”
Fleder emphasizes that the film won’t be a “glossy Hollywood version of a sports legend.” He explains, “It needs grit, urgency and rawness. This film will capture both the harsh realities Ray faced and the quiet power of someone simply showing up.”
Adds Buffalo Bills vp of communications Derek Boyko, “This project is more than a movie — it’s 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.”
The film’s 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.
“We’re excited to welcome this production to San Francisco and to help tell Ray Davis’ powerful story where it all began,” says Manijeh Fata, executive director of Film SF for the San Francisco Film Commission. “We’re grateful to the production team for their commitment to authenticity and choosing to film here. It’s an honor to support a project that highlights resilience, mentorship and the spirit of a city where people find strength and hope.”
Davis is represented by Ed Barry of CAA. Iliff and Fleder are repped by David Saunders of AIG.
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