Posted in: Fox, Preview, streaming, TV | Tagged: 24, fox, howard gordon, kiefer sutherland, preview

24 Showrunner/EP Howard Gordon Open to Franchise Return

FOX's 24 series writer, showrunner & EP Howard Gordon is open to returning to the franchise, but sooner rather than later would be best.

As television franchises go, Kiefer Sutherland's beloved & beleaguered counter-intelligence agent Jack Bauer and the "24" universe are tough to keep down. Created by Joel Surnow & Robert Cochran and running for eight seasons & a two-hour television film (from 2001 to 2014), the hugely popular franchise has been the subject of several attempts to recreate the magic via spinoffs like 2017's Corey Hawkins-starring 24: Legacy as well as past pitches that appeared to go nowhere beyond that stage. But FOX Entertainment continues to express interest in bringing the franchise back to the screen, and Sutherland has kept the door open to a return (more on that in a minute). Now, series writer, showrunner & EP Howard Gordon (Accused) is also weighing in regarding the franchise's future. And much like Sutherland, Gordon seems open to the idea… but probably sooner rather than later.

"They are. And I'd be lying if I said I wasn't interested in bleeding it," Gordon shared during an interview with The Hollywood Reporter when asked if FOX had been pressing Gordon for more 24 projects. So does Gordon have any idea on what to do with Jack Bauer in 2023? "Well, that's a different question," Gordon responded, laughing. "But I'll tell you this… when I started writing on '24,' I was in my late 30s, and so was Jack Bauer, and I remember relating to him as a father and a guy with a family. It was a simpler world then. We're both older now, and I do wonder what he'd make of the world that we're living in today. So, I think everyone is open to it, but, as Kiefer [Sutherland] has said, 'We better hurry up.'"

Starting at around the 4:30 mark in the following GQ video where the actor was given the opportunity to discuss his most iconic roles, Sutherland discussed his time as Jack Bauer on the series and how he's open to a return if the project keeps with the quality & integrity of the original run. Along with discussing the possible future, Sutherland also opens up about how tough it was giving the audience the show they wanted while dealing with how much of the real world they were reflecting on (& how they were reflecting it) as well as how much of a family the crew still is to him. Plus, Sutherland offers some great insights into his work on The Lost Boys, Stand By Me, A Few Good Men, A Time to Kill, Dark City, Designated Survivor, The First Lady, and The Contractor:

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