Kiefer Sutherland Has Some Interesting and Cool Ideas for Some 24 Revival Series Both Including His Character and Not

Kiefer Sutherland is returning to TV in the upcoming Paramount+ action thriller Rabbit Hole, in which John Weir (Kiefer Sutherland), a master of corporate espionage, finds himself at the center of a shadowy conspiracy. This sound right up his alley, as he’s best known for playing Jack Bauer in the nine-season original series 24, as well as its follow-up limited spinoff Live Another Day.

Fans have wondered for many years if Sutherland would ever be up for returning to the role once more, and there have been plenty of talks over the years about bringing it back. Now, Sutherland is promoting his upcoming series, but he does have some cool-sounding ideas in mind if the opportunity to return to 24 presents itself.

The actor recently sat down with EW, and spoke fondly about making the original series, saying:

"I mean, it was the best time of my life. I was in my early 30s, so I was physically capable. I was not in my 20s, so I was a little smarter — not a whole lot, but a little smarter. And I got to do it for 10 years, which is, I guarantee you, the most stable opportunity that an actor will ever be given. So for all of those reasons, and just the fantastic people that I got to make it with — and by the way, it's so nice to do something that people like. [Laughs] Because I've had the other side, where I've done a few things where people are like, 'Yeah, that sucks.' I guarantee you the other version is nicer. It was incredibly special for me and I would like to see it continue on."

When asked if he and series showrunner Howard Gordon have talked about bring it back, he said:

"Howard and I talk all the time and invariably it comes up. The idea of him being brought back — I'm just spitballing — I think that's an interesting idea. You introduce a new cast of people in their effort to get him out, and it lives on from that point. There's a lot of ways to go about it."

He went on to add:

"I also think it's such a great idea to take a 24-hour moment in somebody's life that is desperate — and that could be a fireman; that could be so many different circumstances. It boggles my mind that someone hasn't come along and said, 'Well, we need to do this with it.' So whether it involves me or not, I just think that to do something in real time is so clever — difficult, but clever — that I find it kind of shocking that it hasn't manifested itself into something else and/or bigger."

When asked if he would prefer Jack to return over handing the story over to a fresh face, Sutherland responded:

"I'm not more interested in one idea versus another. Joel [Surnow] and Bob [Cochran, creators of 24] came up with something really clever in this idea of telling something in real time over a 24-hour period, and I would just hate to think that it only got one swing at the bat. I was grateful to have had the opportunity. If I get to do something else with it, I would certainly jump at that. But if it were to simply grow into something else, I would be its champion there as well, because I think the story is such a good idea. What was it, 20 years after the initial Star Trek that they finally started morphing into something different? I certainly see that for something like 24, because I believe it is a franchise-worthy idea. So, yeah — time will tell."

I’d love to see Sutherland back in the role, but I agree that there are plenty of stories and characters that could succeed in this format. Would you like to see 24 return to TV?