Kiefer Sutherland's 24 Show Is Getting A Movie Adaptation Now In Early Development

Summary 20th Century developing movie remake of Kiefer Sutherland's 24, exploring new format for iconic franchise.

Movie adaptation aims to capture 24's intense storytelling in condensed format more suitable for modern viewers.

Uncertainty on Sutherland's return as Bauer, but actor's enthusiasm for reprising role is evident in past interviews.

20th Century is currently developing a movie remake of Kiefer Sutherland's 24. Premiering in the 200s on Fox, the action-drama thriller follows Sutherland's Jack Bauer — a US counter-terrorist federal agent, as he navigates various crises in the span of just one day. Running for 9 episodes with over 200 episodes, 24 also got a television film, 24: Redemption, as well as the shortlived spinoff, 24: Legacy, which starred war hero and ex-United States Army Ranger Sergeant Eric Carter, played by Corey Hawkins. Now, the franchise attempts to live on via a big screen adaptation.

A new report from Variety reveals that 20th Century is currently working on a movie treatment for 24. Previously, Imagine Entertainment co-founder Brian Grazer teased the possibility of the famed series becoming a feature, teasing that they are going to approach it in a very interesting way. The outlet claims that it's still very in the process, so there's no word yet on any kind of plot for the project. It's also currently uncertain if Sutherland is coming back to reprise the lead role as Bauer.

Why 24's Iconic Format Will Work Better In Movies

20th Century May Have A New Franchise In Their Hands

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While 24's format was great with extended storytelling, having to go through several episodes across several months of broadcast can be incredibly frustrating for modern viewers who are mostly used to the bingeing method.

Throughout the years, there have been reports about Fox wanting to continue the 24 franchise via multiple new endeavors. There were talks about a couple of more spinoffs and even a proper movie. Clearly, none of this has happened, and it's due to various reasons. It's still too early to tell if Fox's new efforts will actually amount to something, considering the lack of confirmed details. But for now, the idea of fully transitioning 24 to the big screen sounds like a great idea because its signature format can work so much better in a shorter format.

Instead of a whole season, the 24-hour span could happen in a two-hour movie. While 24's format was great with extended storytelling, having to go through several episodes across several months of broadcast can be incredibly frustrating for modern viewers who are mostly used to the bingeing method. Meanwhile, dropping a full season at once takes away some of the tension that the narrative brings, since the rest of the year can be readily available on streaming. Shifting to a movie model allows the 20th Century to have the best of both worlds, while also birthing a new franchise.

The big question now is if Sutherland will return as Bauer in the new 24 movie. Multiple times in the past, the actor has expressed his desire to reprise the role and continue the famed thriller franchise. He's still so invested in the character that Sutherland really doesn't care if it's going to be on the small or big screen, just as long as he can step back into his famous character's shoes again.

Source: Variety