Tag Archives: 24

It’s official: Kiefer Sutherland returns as Jack Bauer in FOX’s event series ’24: Live Another Day’

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What a year it has been for fans of groundbreaking television returning to their former glory. Seven years after it aired its final episode due to low ratings and forced cancellation, Arrested Development is returning with 15 new installments in under two weeks time. 24 bowed out after eight seasons on air, and rumors of a feature film had been swirling since it ended. Following Arrested‘s lead, the creative heads behind the suspenseful drama ultimately decided to opt out of a movie and instead bring the series back in episodic form. Are you getting this? 24 is coming back for more!

FOX is labeling the return of 24 as an “event series,” meaning it will come in a smaller, yet still impactful package. 24: Live Another Day will retain the 24 DNA by telling a season-long story that takes place over the course of one day in Jack Bauer’s life, however this time around the trek will be truncated into 12 episodes instead of the usual 24. FOX chairmen Kevin Reilly spilled the following: “It will go chronologically over the day, but it will skip hours. It will be dictated by the plot…The spine of the original 24 episodes was about 12 hours. Those were when the big events occurred, and then there were little events and connective tissue in between. So [we’re] taking the best 12 [of the 24].” He added, “A lot of who’s who in Hollywood wanted to participate in this,” so fans can expect some surprise special guests to pop up over the course of the season in addition to fan favorites (Chloe must return!). No plot details have surfaced yet, but the official PR states the new season will find Jack “several years following the events of the final season.”

Wondering why the movie never came to fruition? Reilly confessed that the producers realized that “24 compressed into two hours is not 24.” It’s that simple.

Will this limited event series mark the real end of 24? Reilly wouldn’t say, but he did acknowledge the series’ “franchise-ability;” he won’t promise a new season of 24 every year, but depending on how the upcoming 12 new episodes perform in the ratings he is leaving a door open for a potential sequel of sorts.

24: Live Another Day is slated to premiere May 2014 and serve as a summer series for FOX. It is a production of 20th Century Fox Television in association with Teakwood Lane Productions. Howard Gordon, Brian Grazer, and Kiefer Sutherland will executive produce, along with an additional team to be announced.

[Via Deadline; TVLine; EW; TDB]

’24’ movie delayed, not going into production this year

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DAMMIT, as Jack Bauer would say. According to Deadline the anticipated movie based on the long-running FOX political drama 24 has been delayed. In December things finally started to line up for the big screen adaptation: 20th Century Fox was overseeing Mark Bomback’s tweaking of Billy Ray’s original script, potential directors were being scouted, and star Kiefer Sutherland was publicly enthusiastic about slipping into Bauer’s shoes once more. The plan was to begin production in April, when Sutherland was on break from shooting the upcoming FOX show Touch. But things quickly unravelled shortly after 20th Century’s proposal for the film was addressed. In addition to budgetary concerns, the studio has ultimately decided to hold off on starting production on the 24 movie this year because it believes that there won’t be enough time to complete the project before Sutherland is forced back into Touch (assuming the Tim Kring drama is picked up for a second season). In other words, they don’t want to rush it.

Though this news is unfortunate for 24 fans all over, it’s not devastating. Imagine Entertainment’s Brian Grazer is still producing, Sutherland is still on board to reprise Bauer, and Bomback/Ray’s script is “ready to go,” per Deadline. So 24 the movie is on track to get made, it’s just a matter of when, again.

Update: Sutherland guested on The Tonight Show on Thursday and addressed the recent delay, saying that he’s still determined to get the ball rolling on production of the film sooner rather than later. Video sits after the break. Continue reading ’24’ movie delayed, not going into production this year →

2012 Winter TCAs: Tim Kring & Kiefer Sutherland on the upcoming “profound” FOX drama ‘Touch’

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At the center of Touch is Martin Bohm (Kiefer Sutherland), a widower and single father, haunted by an inability to connect to his mute 11-year-old son, Jake (David Mazouz). After multiple failed attempts at keeping Jake in school, Martin is visited by Clea Hopkins (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), a social worker sent to evaluate Jake’s well-being. Everything changes when Martin discovers that Jake possesses the gift of staggering genius – the ability to see things that no one else can and the patterns that connect seemingly unrelated events. Jake is indeed communicating. But it’s not with words, it’s with numbers. Martin meets Arthur Dewitt (Danny Glover), a professor and an expert on children who possess special gifts when it comes to numbers. Now, it’s up to Martin to decipher the meaning and connect the numbers to the cast of characters whose lives they affect.

At the TCA winter press tour, Heroes creator Tim Kring shared his enthusiasm about his upcoming FOX drama Touch. “I can’t say enough about [FOX entertainment president] Kevin [Reilly]’s support. It was a script that I thought was a challenging one for a network to want to do to, I frankly didn’t think it would be done at a network. And Kevin read it and believed in it instantly and has absolutely been its tireless champion within the company. So I’m hugely indebted.”

Series star Kiefer Sutherland was also on hand to shed some light on how he landed the lead role and what exactly drew him to a show involving “global unity” and interconnectedness among human lives. Kring admits that he did not write the Martin Bohm character with Sutherland in mind. Additionally, Sutherland wasn’t so much interested in returning to TV after his long run on 24 which only concluded two years ago. But when he read the pilot script he was going to make an exception here. “I remember getting to Page 35 and thinking, ‘Shit. I’m in real trouble here,’ ” Sutherland shared. “The character is so vastly different [from that of 24‘s Jack Bauer], the tone of the piece is so vastly different. And that’s part of its appeal.” He continued, “I had to read the script twice to make sure that all the things that were affecting me were affecting me on a personal level as opposed to trying to manage a career. Does it happen to be a nice diversion from 24? Yes. I just couldn’t turn this down because it spoke to me on a really profound level.” He added, “My choice to do this had nothing to do with trying to get away from 24. It was because I want to spend hopefully the next seven or eight years sinking my teeth into something interesting.”

Sutherland made a comparison between his iconic 24 role and the new shoes he’s about to fill. “The one parallel between the two characters is Jack Bauer was asked to save the day, and there was always going to be casualties. Martin will never have an idyllic relationship with his son. With both characters, they’ll never completely win, and that’s something I’m drawn to as an actor.” At one point he described the father/son relationship between Martin and Jake as “really beautiful.”

After discussing how and why he positioned himself in the lead role, Sutherland described the logistics of Touch. “Some characters will be woven over [multi-episode] arcs, but Tim and I both learned – he from Heroes and me from 24 — that there is great value in a procedural drama. So every week there will be a set of circumstances set about by Jake that will put Martin in a situation to deal with someone new, and that situation will be resolved. There will be a beginning, a middle and an end, in theory, to every episode.”

Later, it was revealed that Kring’s son is autistic and that he is an inspiration for the show. Touch will explore the facets of autism and “Tim feels very responsible to stay true to [autism] in that regard,” says Sutherland. “So we’re not go to be making stuff up to explain stuff. We’re going to deal with the medicine and what doctors know.”

Before the panel could conclude, critics asked Sutherland about the current status of the 24 movie. He confirmed rumors that shooting will begin “at the end of April, beginning of May.” He teased that the movie is “relatively a direct continuation” of the series finale that aired on FOX in May 2010. We’re talking maybe six months from the end of that episode.” As previously reported, the movie will cover a 24-hour period in about two hours, so obviously it will not be told in real-time like the show was. Last, it was recently announced that Mary Lynn Rajskub’s Chloe will factor into the movie.

Touch premieres March 19. FOX will be airing a preview later this month on January 25 at 9PM.

[Via Deadline; TVLine 1, 2]

’24’ movie is moving ahead, shoots this spring!

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24: The Movie is happening people. Here’s the latest scoop. According to Deadline, writer Mark Bomback (Unstoppable, The Wolverine) is tweaking the script originally penned by Billy Ray (State of Play) and he will be turning it in to 20th Century Fox by the end of this year. Imagine Entertainment honcho Brian Grazer is still producing, but director Tony Scott is no longer attached to the project. It’s being reported that Fox and Imagine are currently narrowing down a list of five potential directors. And here’s the best bit of news: the studio hopes to start shooting the flick as early as April 2012. That is when Sutherland’s schedule opens up; he is currently working on the upcoming FOX drama Touch.

Bauer is back.

[Via Deadline]

An Indian version of ’24’ is in the works

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The politically charged FOX drama 24 went off the air in May 2010 and with it went one of TV’s most iconic characters, Jack Bauer. Though Kiefer Sutherland is set to reprise the role in a 24 feature film, a new Jack Bauer is prepared to emerge onto the TV landscape…in India. News broke that Anil Kapoor, best known for his role in Slumdog Millionaire, will step into Sutherland’s shoes to play the lead in an Indian version of 24. In addition to starring in it Kapoor will also produce though his Anil Kapoor Films Co. and with 20th Century Fox TV Distribution. According to Deadline, preproduction on the show will begin in India in 2012.

Kapoor, someone who 24 fans should immediately recognize as season 8’s Kamistan President Omar Hassan, had this to say about the development of a new 24. “It will be a great honor for me to play Jack Bauer. Kiefer has created an iconic character which has inspired me to bring the franchise to India. This will be my first foray to Indian television and I look forward to duplicating the standard of excellence Fox has so successfully created.”

Whether or not Kapoor’s 24 finds a way to air in the US, I have no doubt that loyal fans of the show (including myself) will figure out how to preview it here. Man do I miss that ticking clock and the CTU ring.

[Via Deadline]

Producer Brian Grazer confirms ’24’ movie is coming soon

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24 fans, I’ve got even more good news for you. Less than one month after Kiefer Sutherland confirmed a summer 2012 release for the film adaptation of the FOX show, 24 executive producer Brian Grazer tweeted, “Got off the phone Keifer yesterday [4/4] and we are very excited about producing the ’24’ movie for next year.” Grazer co-owns Imagine Entertainment with Ron Howard; the TV production company backed the show for all eight seasons. Good to know that Grazer is on board for the flick.

In related news, TVLine recently interviewed Elisha Cuthbert about her new ABC comedy Happy Endings and they managed to squeeze in a question about her future involvement with 24. When asked if she would reprise Jack’s daughter Kim Bauer for the film she said, “I would do it, for sure. It’s such a part of my career — and I would only hope that they would want Kim Bauer to be a part of it.” She concluded, “I’d be thrilled to go back to Kim anytime, but as of now I haven’t heard anything. So I don’t know!”

[Via EW; TVLine]

Kiefer Sutherland confirms “summer 2012” release date for ’24’ movie

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On Monday Kiefer Sutherland told the ladies of The View that the oft-rumored but anticipated 24 movie will come out “summer 2012.” Hop after the break to hear him say it.

The rumor mill has it that Tony Scott will direct, and it’s been publicly confirmed that Billy Ray’s script was scraped. More details here.

Just like Mitch Hurwitz and the Arrested Development movie, it’s good to know that Sutherland still has the project in mind.

[Via EW] Continue reading Kiefer Sutherland confirms “summer 2012” release date for ’24’ movie →

Kiefer Sutherland transitions from ’24’ to upcoming web series ‘The Confession’

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The trials and tribulations of Jack Bauer have come to an end, so what’s next for the incredible actor who played our nation’s hero for eight years?  In a surprising move, Kiefer Sutherland has decided to test the Internet waters in an upcoming web series produced by Sutherland, Chris Young, Joseph Gomes, and Maura Mandt.  It’s called The Confession and Sutherland stars as “a hitman who has a theological discussion with a priest (played by English actor John Hurt) about why his victims deserved to die.”  The series, written and directed by Brad Mirman, was shot in New York during the snow storm last month over nine days.

Sutherland shared with EW his excitement about this new project.  The origin story: “It came about in such a different way,” Sutherland said.  “I was meeting a couple friends of mine, who wanted to introduce me to Chris Young (of Digital Broadcasting Group). I know so little about the internet, but that’s what a lot of friends do for work. Most of that stuff being produced for the internet is comedy, very much like Jackass kind of material, which is great but didn’t appeal to me. Chris started talking about wanting to do a drama, but his criteria was so different. A drama in five-minute episodes! It was one of those things, like a puzzle over the course of the lunch. It can’t be that complicated to figure out a story in five minutes, right? I couldn’t, and it frustrated the crap out of me. So I went home that night, still thinking about it, and it stayed with me for three days. I was falling asleep when I literally got this idea of a confessional.”

He thinks that creative content distributed over the Internet is the wave of the future.  “None of us were paid what we normally get paid,” Sutherland admitted. “Everybody found their own challenge in it, and that was the reason to do it. All of us believe very strongly that the internet is the future, the largest network in world, with the ability to reach a big audience.” Continue reading Kiefer Sutherland transitions from ’24’ to upcoming web series ‘The Confession’ →

Fox turns down ’24’ movie script

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24 fans, the wait for a feature film just got a bit longer.  According to EW, 20th Century Fox has turned down the 24 movie script penned by Billy Ray (State of Play).  The show’s long-time executive producer Howard Gordon commented on the matter.  “As far as I know, it is in suspended animation,” said Gordon. “There is talk about re-approaching it. I understand [director/producer] Tony Scott is meeting with Kiefer [Sutherland] to talk about ideas. People are still talking about it.”  He continued, “I was disapppointed [Fox] passed on the script but I’m certainly hopeful that the movie will get made at some point. Anecdotally, I’ve heard from people who are really missing the show and I do think there is more life in Jack Bauer.”

Back when FOX the network announced that season eight would be the last for the series, star Kiefer Sutherland shared his excitement over the possibility of making a 24 movie.  “We wanted to create a definitive end for Jack Bauer,” said Sutherland.  Since we do have the intention to make the feature film, it would lead into that and certainly set that up.  Something we’ve dealt with in the series is how the crisis always has to come to us because we don’t have time to move anywhere in a real time world.  In a two-hour (movie) representation of the 24 world, planes, trains, and automobiles all of a sudden become a factor because you are not required to go scene by scene in real time. That’s something I can say I am very excited about.”

Although the script was thrown out, this isn’t all bad news.  At least we’re receiving assurance that Gordon, Sutherland, and Tony Scott are still in talks about it.  The wait for it got longer, but there’s still hope a 24 movie will get made.  No word if Billy Ray will be replaced with a new screenwriter.

[Via EW]

The clock stops on 24, this final season will lead into the feature film

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The day I thought would never come is here.  It’s official: 24 Season 8, the season that’s currently airing now, will be the final season for the show.  Over the past few weeks there have been whispers that the 24 creative team would jump ship from FOX to NBC in order to salvage a ninth season.  With star Keifer Sutherland’s contract running up this year, along with other members of the production team, it would have been an extremely expensive ordeal to bring the show back again.  With ratings lower than usual and the narrative becoming somewhat stale after eight seasons on the air, 24 has decided to call it quits after this season.

Says Sutherland (who plays Jack Bauer): “The writers are producing the equivalent of 12 films a year, which is unheard of, and [executive producer] Howard felt to do a ninth would be potentially damaging.  We both felt strongly that there has been a demand and an interest in a 24 film, which would be a two-hour representation of a 24-hour day, so we felt it was time to move in that direction.”

And that brings us to the 24 feature film that’s in the works.  It’s happening people, so there’s no need to bring out the tissues just yet.  20th Century Fox is backing the movie, with Billy Ray (State of Play) writing the screenplay.  Says Sutherland on how the series finale will tie into the movie: “We wanted to create a definitive end for Jack Bauer.  Since we do have the intention to make the feature film, it would lead into that and certainly set that up.”  In fact, since a 24 movie loses the restrictions of the story unfolding in real time, the creative juices must be flowing for Sutherland and co.  “Something we’ve dealt with in the series is how the crisis always has to come to us because we don’t have time to move anywhere in a real time world,” Sutherland adds.  “In a two-hour (movie) representation of the 24 world, planes, trains, and automobiles all of a sudden become a factor because you are not required to go scene by scene in real time. That’s something I can say I am very excited about.”  Hell yeah, me too!

But as far as the series finale is concerned, Howard Gordon and Sutherland are contemplating either a happy or tragic ending for Jack Bauer.  “We go to a very definitive, very complex place.”  I am a long time 24 fan; hell, I’ve been watching this show for eight years now.  As sad as this news may seem, think of it like this:  How many bad days can Jack Bauer experience?  I mean, we don’t want him to die or anything… It’s time for Jack Bauer (and us) to finally receive closure.

Sutherland released this official statement of gratitude: “This has been the role of a lifetime, and I will never be able to fully express my appreciation to everyone who made it possible. While the end of the series is bittersweet, we always wanted 24 to finish on a high note, so the decision to make the eighth season our last was one we all agreed upon. This feels like the culmination of all our efforts from the writers to the actors to our fantastic crew and everyone at Fox. Looking ahead to the future, Howard Gordon and I are excited about the opportunity to create the feature film version of 24. But when all is said and done, it is the loyal worldwide fan base that made it possible for me to have the experience of playing the role of Jack Bauer, and for that I am eternally grateful.”

Executive producer and showrunner Howard Gordon followed up: “Kiefer and I have loved every minute of making 24, but we all believe that now is the right time to call it a day.  I echo his sentiments of gratitude toward the show’s amazing creative team, as well as the studio and network who have always believed in us and shown us unbelievable support.”

Need more proof?  24’s Mary Lynn Rajskuub (Chloe O’Brien) tweets: “Just found out we got the word officially. This is 24’s last season.”  Executive producer and off-and-on director Jon Cassar shared this tweet: “News from the 24 set,the crew has been told that 24 has come to an end. There will b no season 9. Its been a great run, thanx all 4 watching.”

[Via EW, here & here; IGN]

Keifer heads to the OR, 24 halts production

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Actor Keifer Sutherland suffered a ruptured cyst late last week and is headed to the OR for a minor operation to fix things up.  And since he’s the star of 24, the production team was forced to hault production until his return.  Fortunately his predicament involves a quick procedure, so Sutherland should be back to shoot the remainder of Day 8 within a matter of a few days.  Says his publicist: “While Kiefer Sutherland is frustrated to miss even one day of work, he and FOX decided together that it would be best to complete this minor elective procedure now.”  I think Jack Bauer can handle it.

[Via IGN]

Jack Bauer set to wield the Apple Tablet in upcoming episode

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According to Rodney Charters, director of photography on 24, the show will try its best to somehow incorporate Apple’s still unannounced tablet device, pending Apple’s cooperation.  Charters tweets: “Hmmmm looks like we may get an iSlate into Jacks hands for Ep 20 getting giddy with excitement” and later updated with: “Got a bit too excited probably more likely Episode 22 but Apple provided fingers crossed.”

As exciting as this proposition sounds, it all hinges upon the actual existence of such a tablet.  We will know by tomorrow.  Oh, and it better be announced.  Because if it isn’t, you can be sure Jack will stationed outside the keynote doors waiting to interrogate Jobs (re-created for visual purposes above).

[Via Twitter page; Gizmodo]