Two potential 24 spinoff concepts have stalled at Fox, but the network is still keen on reviving the show. The original series followed Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland), a dedicated counter-terrorist agent who often struggled to keep his personal and professional life separate. The show also pioneered the real-time format, with each episode of 24 representing an hour in Jack’s day. The show was known for its nail-biting tension, shocking twists and deaths and the intense action sequences. The series originally ran from 2001 to 2010, encompassing 8 seasons, a video game, a TV movie dubbed Redemption and a host of other offshoots.
A movie version was planned following the end of the show, with one potential idea teaming Jack with John McClane for a crossover called Die Hard 24/7. The writers had a hard time shrinking the format down for a two-hour script, however, so instead Jack returned in 2014 for a mini-series called 24: Live Another Day. This show ran for 12 episodes and found Jack foiling a terrorist plot in London. Despite good reviews and solid ratings, Kiefer Sutherland soon declared he was finished with the franchise following the end of the season. A 2017 spinoff called 24: Legacy starred Corey Hawkins as a new lead character, but only lasted one season before being cancelled.
Related: 24 Prequel Show With Young Jack Bauer In The Works
Despite 24: Legacy failing to gain traction, the show’s producers went on to pitch two new concepts; a prequel following young Jack Bauer or a legal thriller with a new female lead. Speaking at TCA (via Deadline) Fox Entertainment CEO Charlie Collier updated the status of the spinoffs, revealing the legal thriller didn’t make it to pilot and there’s currently there’s no new series in the works.
The power of these franchises is not to be toyed with, and 24 was an iconic moment in television, and when and if we bring it back, it will be because the creators and writers feel like they have the right story to tell, they can honor the franchise and the studio and the network feel the same way. I’d be very open to working with Howard [Gordon] and everyone else but nothing new to report.
Collier also stressed the network is serious about bringing the show back and it's expected the Jack Bauer prequel concept, which was put on a backburner for the legal thriller, will be explored further. The producers of the show once stated the real-time format was the star of 24, and it could be adapted in a number of ways. The original concept was actually a comedy-drama focused on the chaos leading up to a wedding until it was decided a spy thriller was the way to go. The second season paid homage to this original pitch with a wedding subplot in the early episodes.
Of course, the 24 franchise is so tightly linked with Kiefer Sutherland as Jack Bauer, that any new series without the star is a tricky prospect. 24: Legacy also suffered because, despite a solid central performance from Corey Hawkins, it relied too much on the show’s established formula, meaning it rarely surprised. Sutherland looks unlikely to sign on for a new series, so unless the show dramatically reinvents itself, another spinoff – even one focused on young Jack – feels like it will just repeat the mistakes of Legacy.
More: The 15 Most Shocking Deaths On 24
Source: Deadline