Despite reports to the contrary, it seems the legendary Jack Bauer won’t be returning to a small screen near you anytime soon.
With Fox sequel series 24: Legacy set for premiere in the fall, there has been mooted talk that Kiefer Sutherland would reprise his role as the hardboiled CTU agent from the original show, but when quizzed by Deadline on the matter at hand, the actor was crystal clear.
In fact, Sutherland, who now headlines ABC drama series Designated Survivor, essentially offered up a categorical no: “There are absolutely no plans for that.”
On paper, it makes a lot of sense, particularly as it is Straight Outta Compton star Corey Hawkins that will spearhead 24: Legacy, and by lending the talented up-and-comer the space to do so, it negates the possibility that the presence of Sutherland’s Jack Bauer would siphon attention away from the new lead character.
Correcting course after his earlier comments got the rumor mill going in the first place, 24 producer Howard Gordon told Deadline that, “there’s no plans at the moment; I think it’s just sort of a possibility downstream reflecting just my own personal fantasy. We haven’t said you’re definitely coming back; it’s just something that I was just musing about and that I think isn’t impossible but there are no plans about it.”
It seems Sutherland has already established his legacy as the intrepid agent, with Fox set to pass the buck on to Hawkins for 24: Legacy later this year. There, he’ll assume the role of Eric Carter, a former Army Ranger who finds himself pulled back into action just as his past begins to surface. Miranda Otto, Teddy Sears, Dan Bucatinsky and Jimmy Smits also star.