Jack Bauer’s Clock Might Start Ticking Again As Kiefer Sutherland Confirms “Something Has Been Written”…

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Every time whispers of a ’24’ comeback surface, I instinctively reach for the Hawkeye “Don’t do that. Don’t give me hope” meme. And yet, here we are again… with Kiefer Sutherland himself fanning the flames by revealing that Jack Bauer’s story might not be over after all.

In a new interview with Montreal Now’s Aaron Rand, Sutherland dropped his biggest update in years: not only does he want to return, but for the first time in ages, there’s actually a script on the table.

“[Showrunner and executive producer] Howard Gordon has come up with an idea that I like,” he explained. “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.”

Whether this turns out to be Day 10 (the only way fans count the seasons) or a one-off TV movie is still unknown. But the fact that something solid has been written is the first major step toward Jack’s long-awaited return.

Of course, there’s one big hurdle: rights. “’24’ was originally with Fox,” Sutherland continued. “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. 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.”

Jack Bauer’s Very Long Day(s)

Created by Joel Surnow and Robert Cochran, ’24’ launched in 2001 and became a cultural phenomenon thanks to its real-time format. Each season tracked one increasingly chaotic day in the life of Jack Bauer as he tried to stop everything from presidential assassinations and nuclear bombs to bioterrorism and cyberwarfare.

Across eight seasons, a TV movie (24: Redemption), and the 2014 limited series 24: Live Another Day, Jack endured more than any single character probably should. That last outing ended with him handing himself over to the Russians, bundled into a helicopter, and flown off into an uncertain fate. Not the neatest ending for one of TV’s most beloved action heroes.

Fox did attempt to keep the brand alive with 2017’s spin-off 24: Legacy, led by Corey Hawkins, but it fizzled after just one season. Other pitches, from a courtroom-based real-time legal drama to a young Jack Bauer prequel, never made it past development.

Life After Jack

Since trading in Jack’s CTU badge, Kiefer Sutherland hasn’t exactly slowed down. He played President Tom Kirkman in Designated Survivor (ABC/Netflix), popped up in Quibi’s The Fugitive (before the streaming service collapsed in record time), took a turn as Franklin D. Roosevelt in The First Lady (Showtime), and most recently starred in the Paramount+ espionage thriller Rabbit Hole. Still, for many, he’ll always be the man willing to scream “DAMMIT!” at a moment’s notice while saving the world on zero hours of sleep.

So, is Jack finally getting the ending he deserves? The script exists, Kiefer’s keen, and Disney now holds the fate of CTU’s most determined agent. Until then, fans can keep their hopes cautiously locked and loaded. We will, of course, let you know more if we hear anything official!