It’s a good day for action fans as a new report has confirmed that one of television’s most loved action heroes is close to making a highly anticipated comeback. 24‘s Jack Bauer is not done with counterterrorism, and his return to our screens just received a huge update. Since the action hero was last seen in 2014’s 24: Live Another Day, there have been many whispers about him making a comeback, and now it looks like some significant progress has been made towards making it a reality. Series star Kiefer Sutherland, who portrayed the character across its nine-season run on Fox, has confirmed that a “solid script” for a reboot of the fan-favorite crime series is officially on the table.
One of the biggest hurdles for any reboot is getting the script right, which makes this latest 24 reboot update especially promising. Sutherland shared the news in a recent interview and sounded quite optimistic about what has been developed thus far for Bauer’s return. “Howard Gordon (showrunner and executive producer) has come up with an idea that I like,” Sutherland shared during the radio program. “Before, the material had not been written, so I would have to say, ‘I’m not the one that’s in the way.’ [But] something has been written. I think it’s really good. I think it’s really strong.”
Details on the format of the reboot remain under wraps. While recent attempts to expand the franchise have taken the shape of standalone TV movies, it remains unclear if the latest project will follow that path or return as a full-fledged series. However, in a report last year, Imagine Entertainment co-founder Brian Grazer teased that Bauer’s comeback could arrive as a feature-length film through a Disney and Fox partnership, adding that it would be done “in a very interesting way.”
The ’24’ Reboot Faces One Major Obstacle
While a solid script marks meaningful progress, the reboot still faces hurdles, particularly when it comes to rights. 24 originally aired on FOX, but with Disney’s acquisition of much of the studio, the franchise now sits within Disney’s orbit. That shift means any new project must move through additional corporate channels before receiving the green light. Sutherland acknowledged the complication, explaining, “24 was originally with Fox, now it’s owned by Disney because of what Fox has sold off, and so it has to go through different channels before it’s either approved or disapproved.”
Despite those challenges, the star remains eager about stepping back into Jack Bauer’s shoes. While no official cast announcements have been made, it’s almost certain that Sutherland will reprise the iconic action hero. He made clear his eagerness to finish Bauer’s story, adding, “Like everybody else, it’s something I would really like to do. I would like to close that story. It was left kind of wide open. So, fingers crossed. There’s a chance. We’ve taken some considerable steps forward.” Fingers crossed that Day 10 will arrive soon and offer fans the closure they need on Bauer’s following plans after averting the US-Russian war at a heavy personal cost.
Stay tuned for future updates on the 24 reboot plans.
via Collider