We recently reported that the big screen version of the show 24 had fallen apart over budget concerns.
Yes, it seemed as if Kiefer Sutherland was offered a pittance to star because the studio wants to keep the film on a tight budget, and that Fox was also worried that 24 wouldn’t stay in the pop culture firmament forever, much like the public didn’t come out for the second X-Files film.
The 24 movie had Antoine Fuqua (Training Day) lined up to direct at one point, with a script by Billy Ray, who also contributed to the Hunger Games script. The film also had a tight window to get made because of Sutherland’s schedule for the new show Touch.
About a week ago the movie looked dead, but now The Wrap is reporting that 24 is back on, with production pushed back until next year.
A source told The Wrap, “It didn’t work out right now. Everyone is trying to figure out how to do it next year.”
24 was originally going to shoot next month when Sutherland had time to make it before going on to Touch. Although he reportedly wasn’t happy about being short changed by Fox, Sutherland won’t say die on this one. Last week he told Jay Leno:
“We finally got a script to a really amazing place. Unfortunately, because of my schedule, we’re trying to move a lot of moving parts, everybody else’s schedule, and trying to find the right slot to do the film in.
“We’re still trying, and if we don’t get it into this slot, we’ll do it next year. 24 was so good to me, and it was an amazing experience, and I think we have a responsibility to protect it.”
