The news that FOX will bring back the beloved action-drama 24 made waves when it was announced the network ordered a pilot for a new spinoff series. The original eight-season run helped kick off the new golden age of television and earned wide critical and audience acclaim, and 2014’s 12-episode limited series, 24: Live Another Day, was a resounding success for the network that proved the continued popularity and bankability of the series. While news of a spinoff has been around for some time now, FOX recently kicked production into a high gear and details have begun to trickle in.
Titled 24: Legacy, the new series will bring an all new cast to the table, replacing long-time protagonist Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) with an all new hero facing all new threats. The pilot order announcement offered a few details about the new hero, saying only he was a military man named Eric Carter drawn into the CTU thanks to a grave terrorist threat. Speculation about who would fill the role has been rampant in the days since the announcement, but today FOX confirmed they have found a star for the new series.
Corey Hawkins (Straight Outta Compton) has officially been cast in the lead role, according to The Wrap. Hawkins brings with him a respected pedigree, having attended the prestigious Julliard in New York prior to earning praise for his portrayal of Dr. Dre in the NWA biopic last summer. His casting makes good on the network’s promise that the new hero would be portrayed by a minority actor in an effort to bring more diversity to leading roles.
While the idea of seeing a 24 series without Jack Bauer in the lead might seem off-putting to some, series producers Evan Katz and Manny Coto, both of whom wrote for 24’s original incarnation, have promised the new series will feature all of the trademarks that defined its predecessor—episodes will be in real time, taking place over a single day, with plenty of split screens and tense action to keep things moving. This could be an exciting new way to bring 24 into the next era for both longtime fans and new recruits. As much as Sutherland’s intensity as Bauer was part of the draw of the original series, there’s always another terrorist group plotting horrible things for the CTU to combat, and seeing some new faces could revitalize the series, which, despite its popularity, was running out of steam by the end of its run.
Hawkins, of course, has the chops to make Carter a compelling character. His performance in Straight Outta Compton proved that he can handle everything from comedy to intense personal drama, while his three-episode stint on The Walking Dead showed he’s no stranger to action. Even though we’re all a little sad to hear Bauer won’t be making an appearance, there can be no doubt that Hawkins has the capability to bring something new and fresh to the series.
Screen Rant will have all the news for you on 24: Legacy as it is made available.
Source: The Wrap
