24 Live Another Day 2 Returning Without Kiefer Sutherland, Jack Bauer?
After reviving "24" for a limited run last summer with "24: Live Another Day," Fox is eager to revisit one of its most popular franchises. Fox bosses Gary Newman and Dana Walden announced at the 2015 Winter TCA Press Tour that while they have no current plans for a new season, the network is potentially eyeing another run, but this time, without Kiefer Sutherland's Jack Bauer at the center of the story.
"We would love nothing more than to do another 24," Newman said to a room of reporters. "That's a constant focus for us."
Walden said that the network has "heard a great pitch" from producers Howard Gordon, Evan Katz, and Manny Coto for a possible return in 2016.
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"[Their pitch] was in the very origin stages and it could have gone either way," Walden said. "There was a point at which Jack Bauer could come in and fit very organically into their story or they were prepared to do something that would be the one installment without him."
Walden mentioned that they have talked to Sutherland about the show's future and implied that actors like Mary Lynn Rajskub and Yvonne Strahovski could continue the story.
"We have discussed it with him. Potentially he won't be in this installment. We're not sure yet. We're not that far along but I know he supports us doing more '24'. We're not talking about continuing the show without him, we're talking about whether there's one installment that he's not in … I look at everyone that surrounded Kiefer in that last installment and I think it could work."
"There's a point at which Jack Bauer could come in and fit very organically into that story, or they were prepared to do a lone installment without him," added Walden.
As for Sutherland, the actor told USA Today last spring that the 12-episode "Live Another Day" would be Jack Bauer's last run.
"My bones are creaking," said Sutherland. "What am I going to do, Jack Bauer in a walker? So yeah, this is it. For me, it's done."
