Start your clocks: A '24' movie is planned for 2012

By Sarah Sluis

I remember when "24" premiered way back in 2001, just a couple months after 9/11. Not exactly the best time for a show about terrorism to hit the airwaves. "24" surmounted that hurdle and went on to run for nine years and eight seasons, each delivering on its initial gimmick: An episode would cover one hour of action, in real time. Over 24 episodes, each season would cover 24 hours. In fact, "24"'s counter-terrorism mission ended up being very much an emblem of the zeitgeist, as critiques of the show's use of torture, for example, dovetailed into debates about the U.S. government's use of waterboarding.

Now, it's official: A "24" movie is in the works for 2012. The "24" feature will most certainly stick to the show's real-time premise, covering perhaps two hours of a crisis being handled by the fictional government agency "CTU" (Counter Terrorism Unit). Star Kiefer Sutherland is said to be excited about the storytelling opportunities of a film version. Imagine Entertainment, the label headed by Brian Grazer and Ron Howard, will produce the feature adaptation of "24." Not many production companies work as much in both film and television as Imagine, so "24" is lucky to have the same company behind both the series and the movie. It will make for a seamless transition within a well-oiled company.

That's not to say the movie hasn't had a number of false starts. Back when "24" was wrapping up, there was some speculation that the series would end in a cliffhanger that would finish at the movie theatres. That didn't happen. Then, a few months ago, Fox passed on the initial "24" script. Now it appears a rewrite was enough for Fox to give the movie a green light. Tony Scott, who has a long history with ticking-clock films, will direct. Scott's last two films were set on trains with bombs/explosive chemicals (The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3, Unstoppable), so I hope 24 doesn't continue on with the train premise, especially when there are so many other places to store bombs and plots to kill heads of state.