24 Reboot Will Feature All New Characters and No Jack Bauer

A reboot of 24 is still in development, according to Fox chairman and CEO Gary Newman, who offered an update to reporters during the network’s summer press tour.

Manny Coto and Evan Katz are writing the script, with longtime 24 producer Howard Gordon supervising. Though the network hasn’t seen the script yet, Newman said it will center on a new character in the absence of of Jack Bauer. Not that they didn’t try.

“Obviously we would love to have Kiefer [Sutherland] and we went to him first,” said Newman. “It isn’t something he wants to do at this point, but he encouraged us to continue and look for a way to bring the show back.” The network has been weighing the possibility of a Kiefer-less 24 since January.

The familiar clock will be chiming once again in the new series, but as for familiar characters, Newman admitted, “Honestly I don’t know whether we’ll see any old characters or not. It would not surprise me if it’s a total reset in terms of the characters.”