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Jack Bauer is heading to Africa after all. The original proposed story for 24's seventh season was for Jack to begin in Africa (doing something, that part was never clear) and then heading back to the States for the meat of the season. This would have been a big departure, as it would have been the first time 24 bucked the twenty-four straight hours formula. FOX had no problem with the concept, but they nixed the idea for budgetary reasons. The ramifications of this decision by the FOX brass was major – production on 24's seventh season was delayed for weeks and, as a result, was eventually delayed a whole year because of the writers' strike. It's unclear whether 24 could have finished the season in time for this Spring regardless, but it's a possibility. Today, 24 executive Manny Coto revealed the setting for the 24 two-hour prequel movie which will air on FOX this Fall: Jack is going to Africa.

The 24 prequel takes place in between the end of season 6 and the beginning of season 7. Coto explains:

"[Jack's] a soul in turmoil and has been moving from place to place trying to find somewhere he can be at peace. But he winds up in Africa in the middle of a military coup."

Awesome. I was always excited at the prospect of Jack abroad, embroiled in a non-US government situation. This has the makings for a great Die Hard-style movie. In fact, it probably works better as a film outside of a proper 24 season then as a part of season 7. The Africa situation will lead right into the events of season 7. Jack learns that he's been subpoenaed and his presence is required back in Washington. He doesn't want to go, but eventually does, and that is where season 7 will begin.

As for season 7, there are also some new tidbits regarding Tony Almeida's involvement. While in Washington, FBI agent Renee Walker asks Jack for help investigating some terrorist attacks that were possibly instigated by former partner Tony Almeida, who Jack believed was dead. Explains Coto: "Jack Bauer is under Senate investigation for crimes against humanity. Jack's thrust into this mystery of how Tony is still alive, and why is he trying to bring down this country?"

Source: BuddyTV

The first promotional image of Season 7 has been released and it features the full cast. Click the thumbnail below to get the full size image.




Now we all know who the center four people are, but I'll name them anyway (from L-R) Tony Almeida (Carlos Bernard), Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland), Bill Buchanan (James Morrison), and Chloe O'Brian (Mary Lynn Rajskub). But what about all the new faces? On the left side it's (from L-R) FBI Agent Sean Hillinger (Rhys Coiro), FBI Agent Janis Gold (Janeane Garofalo), FBI Agent Larry Moss (Jeffrey Nordling), and FBI Agent Renee Walker (Annie Wersching). And on the right side it's (from L-R) First Gentleman Henry Taylor (Colm Feore), President Allison Taylor (Cherry Jones), and White House Chief of Staff Ethan Kanin (Bob Gunton) who appeared in a few episodes last season.

Due to the delay of Season 7, which won't debut until January 2009, the producers of 24 are currently developing a 2-hour TV movie that will air sometime in the Fall. The TV movie will act as a prequel to bridge the gap in between Day 6 and 7.

Previously, the prequels (that started with season 4) only were around 10 minutes in length and appeared on the DVD boxed sets. It's also likely the prequel will have to break the real-time format to be able to tell a story that will explain what happens in between the seasons.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter

Fox will be releasing a Special Edition version of the Season 1 DVD, which will hit stores on May 20th. All 24 DVDs have been packed with bonus features, except Season 1 which only contained an intro by Kiefer Sutherland and an alternate ending. The reason the set contained so little bonus content was because the studio rushed the DVD out in time before Season 2 debuted.

In addition to the bonus content the original DVD release has, the new 7-disc set will also include:

All-new documentary: The Genesis of 24

Five extended episodes (7:00PM - 8:00PM; 8:00PM - 9:00PM; 9:00PM - 10:00PM; 10:00PM - 11:00PM; 11:00PM - 12:00AM)

25 extended / deleted scenes

Never-before-seen alternate season finale ending #2

Commentary on the series premiere episode (12:00AM - 1:00AM) by director Stephen Hopkins and Director of Photography Peter Levy

Commentary on the season finale episode (11:00PM - 12:00AM) by director Stephen Hopkins and actress Leslie Hope

The Rookie online short films ("Coffee Run" and "Get This To…")

Additionally the set will be available in collectible metal tin packaging that features special introductory letters from both series co-creators on their inspiration and challenges working on this groundbreaking show.

Source: DVDActive

By Echo

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PLATFORMS

The writers strike is officially over, but it seems 24 won't be making a return until January 2009, which would make a 19-month gap in between Seasons 6 and 7. Writer David Fury has gone on to say, "24 works best 24 hours in a row. I don’t think we’ll see it until 2009." FOX has not made an official statement that the show will not return this year, but multiple media sources (TV Guide, IGN, Variety) have stated we won't be seeing the show until next year.

Update: FOX has officially pushed Season 7's debut to January 2009 as they have finally updated the official 24 site saying Season 7 will premiere in January 2009.

Co-creator/executive producer/writer Joel Surnow will be leaving the series effectively immediately. He asked to be released from his contract early with 20th Century Fox, which wasn't up until April 30 of this year. Surnow did work on the first eight episodes of Season 7, but will not be involved past that.

"Joel created one of the landmark series of this decade in 24 and his contribution to its creative excellence over the years has been immeasurable," Fox says in a statement. "While he leaves the show in the incredibly capable hands of the talented Howard Gordon, his input will always be welcome."

Source: TVGuide.com

From IGN:

There's been no official word as to the fate of 24 ever since the writers' strike began. While the hit series was supposed to premiere in January, it was moved to an as-yet undisclosed later date, with only eight episodes produced so far for Season 7. Now, TV Guide's Michael Ausiello is reporting that the show may return to the air in a 10 to 14 episode run in the fall which would tell a complete story, and then come back later next spring with another 10 or 14 episodes that would tell a separate story. Our own sources have also confirmed this as a real possibility. These two "mini-seasons" are viewed as extreme measures since it affects the show's traditional format of airing 24 episodes without interruption. However, as Ausiello reported, proponents argue that "these are desperate times."

If 24 were to be completely pushed to next year, that would make it a year and a half with no Jack Bauer. And the last season was a dreary one, not well liked by fans or critics. In fact, in the run up to the aborted premiere of Season 7, the series' creators spent some time telling the press (and fans) that they were unhappy with Season 6 and planned to do better. With some of the casting news, such as Cherry Jones as a woman president, and the return of Tony Almeida, fans are eagerly awaiting what promises to be a strong return for Bauer and company.

Source: IGN.com

Due to the Writers Guild of America strike, FOX has decided to postpone Season 7 of 24 because they want to ensure that the Season would air without interruptions. At the moment, 24 has completed shooting 8 episodes. It's unknown when the new Season will begin, since it all depends when the strike ends.

Source: The Futon Critic

The countdown is over and the first trailer for 24 Season 7 is now live and ready for viewing. Press Play to view the 2-minute trailer for Season 7. Enjoy!

The first trailer for 24's upcoming seventh season will debut Thursday, October 25th. The trailer will premiere at 1:00PM Eastern Time on www.24trailer.com and can be seen live in New York's Time Square on the iconic News Astrovision by Panasonic. And, the first television promo for the new season can be seen during Game 2 of the World Series on Thursday, October 25th (8:00PM) on FOX.

www.24trailer.com

The premiere date for 24's seventh season has been set. Season 7 will premiere Sunday, January 13th at 8PM and will continue on Monday, January 14th at 9PM when it moves into its regular timeslot. The season will continue into June.

In the press release for Season 7, it revealed a big spoiler for the upcoming season... below is the spoiler. If you wish to read it, just highlight the section below between the brackets.

[ Fans have been wondering if beloved character Tony Almeida (played by Carlos Bernard) was actually killed in Season 5. It seemed that way, but Tony will be making his return in the upcoming season. This idea has been floating around for awhile and was originally going to happen in the Season 6 finale. ]

Source: TV.com

It's looking like the seventh season will mostly be filled with new cast members, with the only returning cast members confirmed to return are Kiefer Sutherland, Mary Lynn Rajskub, and James Morrison. The first new addition was Cherry Jones, who will be playing President Allison Taylor. It's now time to take a look at the six new additions to the cast this year.



Colm Feore will play the First Gentlemen, Henry Taylor. His major previous TV role was in the ABC mini-series, Empire where he played Julius Caesar. He's appeared in such movies as Pearl Harbor, The Sum of All Fears, Chicago, National Security, Paycheck, and The Chronicles of Riddick.



Annie Wersching will play one of many FBI agents; her character is called Renee Walker. She's currently appearing in the soap opera, General Hospital.



Jeffrey Nordling will play FBI agent Larry Moss. He's currently appearing in the FX drama, Dirt.



Rhys Coiro will play FBI agent Sean Hillinger. He's best known for his role in the HBO comedy, Entourage. He's also guest starred in such TV shows as Criminal Minds, CSI, Six Feet Under, and Ugly Betty.



Janeane Garofalo will play FBI agent Janis Gold. She's well known for her work on the sketch comedy series, Saturday Night Live. She recently had a recurring role on The West Wing. She's also appeared in many films including The Cable Guy, Mystery Men, Dogma, Stay, and Ratatouille.



John Billingsley will have a recurring role as a character named Latham. He's recently appeared in TV shows such as The Nine and Prison Break and had a regular role on the sci-fi show Star Trek: Enterprise.

And that's it so far for all the cast additions for the upcoming season. Also, information about the upcoming sixth season DVD has been released including the cover art and the special features. So, make sure to check out the DVD page here on the Portal.

It was originally reported that James Morrison, who plays Bill Buchanan, would not be returning for the seventh season. But, he updated his official site yesterday reporting that he'll be returning after all.

Executive producers Jon Cassar, Evan Katz, Manny Coto, and David Fury appeared at Comic-Con '07 to discuss the upcoming seventh season. They announced that show will take place in Washington, D.C. and CTU has been disbanded by the government, though it could still exist in an underground state. They explain the season will start with Jack Bauer appearing before the Senate Committee to answer questions about his questionable actions in the past. They also hint at the fact that beloved character Tony Almeida who was killed in season 5 might not actually be dead. Since they revealed an alternate ending to season 6 that had Tony coming up to Jack in the final scene. And Cassar also mentioned that the season 6 DVD will not feature a Day 7 prequel, which has been a tradition among the past three seasons' DVDs.

It was reported early here that the President for the new season would be a female. There were rumors that Geena Davis, who played the President on the television series, Commander in Chief, would play the female President on 24. Well now, those have been proven false since Tony award winner Cherry Jones has been cast. She's appeared in such recent films as Signs, The Village, and Ocean's Twelve.

24 has been nominated for 6 awards at this years Emmys, half of what it was nominated last year when it won big. This is the first year where 24 has not been nominated for Outstanding Drama Series, it won last year. Kiefer Sutherland has been nominated for the sixth consecutive time for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. Also, Jean Smart has picked up her second nomination for the series, last year she was nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, while this year she's up for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series. Here is the full rundown of the awards 24 has been nominated for:

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series - Kiefer Sutherland

Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series - Jean Smart

Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Dramatic Underscore) - Sean Callery

Outstanding Sound Editing for a Series - "Day 6: 10:00PM - 11:00PM"

Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series - "Day 6: 10:00PM - 11:00PM"

Outstanding Stunt Coordination - Jeff Cadiente for "Day 6: 2:00PM - 3:00PM"

The 59th Primetime Emmy Awards air Sunday, September 16, 2007 at 8/7c on FOX.

By Echo

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PLATFORMS

Production for the upcoming seventh season of 24 has been delayed by approximately 3 weeks due to a last minute change in the storyline. They were planning on shooting a number of episodes in Africa, but the network decided it would be way too costly. The producers tried to find a location in Los Angeles that could sub for Africa. The idea was ditched shortly after, meaning they had to start over with a new concept.

The show usually starts its production in late July, but now it's been pushed to mid-August. It's currently unknown if the production delay will effect when the season debuts in January 2008.

With Season 7 set to launch in January 2008, details are quite scarce, but some information has been revealed. Let's take a look at what we know so far.

At the moment, only Kiefer Sutherland (Jack Bauer) and Mary Lynn Rajskub (Chloe O'Brian) have officially been signed on for next season. It's doubtful any other Season 6 regulars will return due to the drastic change in the show and that the writers are planning on bringing a lot of new faces in.

In a TV Guide interview, co-executive producer Manny Coto says: "Jack [Kiefer Sutherland] starts next season in a very different place than any season so far. Let's put it this way: I wouldn't be surprised if there's no CTU next year. CTU has become almost too comfortable, you know? 'We need to carry out this operation - Chloe, grab Satellite X and get us a feed!' That's gone. We're pulling the rug out from under our characters. It's a pretty radical shift - a totally different context with a totally different villain. There will not be a ticking clock on a nuclear device. We're hewing much closer to real life: tighter, more personal, more difficult for Jack. There may even be a plot thread that doesn't take place on U.S. soil. In a sense, it's a reboot - in location and personnel. We're going to be introducing a new stable of characters, along with a couple of old ones. Jack's not living under an alias. He's found a place he thinks he belongs and a job he enjoys doing that doesn't involve the government. What's also refreshing is the choice of villain: It's not a Muslim terrorist. In fact, it's not a terrorist at all. And the character is fascinating, someone with a supremely dark past who's done something horrific and whose ambition is to regain his stature in the world. I just can't say enough how exciting it is. It's going to be pretty damn cool."

In an interview with writer/executive producer Michael Loceff, he says, "Next season expect smaller story lines for the characters, including Jack. Loceff adds "and how he tries to resolve a particularly thorny conflict in the final episode."

And, in a TV Guide Exclusive, it's looking like they're planning on appointing a female president for the new season, which would be a first for the show. Also, it's been said they'll be adding a female FBI agent as well.

Stay tuned for further Season 7 news as it becomes known.

With the sixth season to conclude next Monday, FOX has ordered two more seasons of the real-time drama. Kiefer Sutherland already inked a deal last year to stay with the show through May 2009.

Executive Producer Howard Gordon says, "We're re-creating the series" and that "It is going to be a real-time thriller. Beyond that, it's an open book."

Also, with the seventh season most likely to shake things up, only Kiefer Sutherland is currently set to return. It's likely only a few cast members from the current season will return, possibly in different roles. As the producers are planning on taking it to a new location, since the series has taken place in Los Angeles the past six seasons.

Show 3 of 24 Inside for Season 6 is now live. It features special guests Director/Executive Producer Jon Cassar who discusses shooting the bus explosion the night after the Emmys and the casting of Lennox; while Production Designer Joseph Hodges talks about building the Oval Office set. Click here to view it!