Kiefer Sutherland open to returning as Jack Bauer in 24 revival

Actor said he has been ‘banging my head against a brick wall for a movie for so long that I’ve got a concussion’

Kiefer Sutherland has suggested that he wants to star in more episodes of 24.

The actor played renegade anti-terrorist agent Jack Bauer in nine seasons of the hit thriller series, also appearing in the 2008 film 24: Redemption.

Sutherland did not return, however, for the spin-off series 24: Legacy, which aired on Fox in 2017 and focused on Corey Hawkins’ Eric Carter.

While the former Brat Pack star had stated in 2016 that he would be unwilling to reprise the beloved role again, a recent interview with Forbes saw him walk back his comments.

“I’ve always left the door slightly ajar for 24 if someone comes up with a great idea,” he said. “As an actor, 24 remains one of the most dynamic experiences I’ve ever had. Where a character was allowed to have such highs and lows in such a fast period of time is a gift.”

He continued: “There are very few setups that will allow you to do that, and I find that incredibly fun, challenging, and exciting. There’s been nine seasons, and I think it rests in a credible place. The difficulty is you don’t ever want to do anything that is going to damage that.”

Sutherland also said he had been “banging my head against a brick wall for a movie for so long that I’ve got a concussion”, but said that he would be open to a 24 revival in any format, as long as the story was good.

“If someone comes up with a great story that can be told in two hours, then we’re going to make a movie, but if someone comes up with a great story that could be 24 hours, we’ll do the show.”

In 24, the story unfolded in real time, with each season (except the truncated ninth season Live Another Day) covering a full 24 hours in the life of Jack Bauer (excepting advert breaks).