Kiefer Sutherland
Kiefer Sutherland

Kiefer Sutherland to star in ABC drama series Designated Survivor

Thriller series starring Kiefer Sutherland ordered straight-to-series

By 24 Spoilers , December 14th, 2015  ·  56 comments

Jack Bauer is heading to the White House. Kiefer Sutherland is returning to primetime television with Designated Survivor, an ABC conspiracy thriller drama, in which the 24 star will play the President of the United States. Designated Survivor, which was written on spec by David Guggenheim (Safe House), has received a straight-to-series order. The script, with Sutherland attached to star and Simon Kinberg (The Martian, X-Men, Days Of Future Past) to executive produce for the Mark Gordon Company, sparked a major bidding war before landing at ABC.

In Designated Survivor, a lower level United States Cabinet member (Sutherland) is suddenly appointed President after a catastrophic attack during the State of the Union kills everyone above him in the Presidential line of succession. This is a family drama wrapped around a conspiracy thriller about an ordinary man in an extraordinary situation.

Source Deadline

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56 Comments

Comments Closed
Tran
December 14, 2015 at 8:08 pm
Very happy about the news that Kiefer’s back on TV this time on ABC. Hope his new series gets picked up before the upfronts are coming in May 2016.

Marlon
December 14, 2015 at 8:45 pm
interesting…that definitely rules out Kiefer then in a starring role for the new 24 series but doesn’t rule him out in a cameo role neither does that rule out one last day for Jack Bauer.

So now, let’s just wait until the new iteration of 24 is announced!

Bruce
December 14, 2015 at 8:45 pm
WHAT????????? Don’t get me wrong, I love the premise of this show, but I’m crying right now b/c our fears have been confirmed: he’s not doing 24 (at least for a while)!!! :'(

More24
December 14, 2015 at 9:14 pm
The Deadline article does say there is another 24 “event” in the works, largely with new characters. Sounds like the premise of this new series, Designated Survivor, will be great TV. Should see a combination of high intensity plot driven scenarios and character development, similar to 24, with the first season a good reflector point. Nothing rules out a Kiefer cameo in a new 24 event, but as was believed last summer, the new 24 will rely on new characters to carry the ball. I’ll keep an open mind but absolutely hope loose ends are tied together from Live Another Day!

JohnGormleyJG
December 15, 2015 at 12:54 am
This is great! Cant wait to see it!!!

TINY
December 15, 2015 at 10:09 am
Awesome! Can’t wait to see him back in action!

Pat
December 15, 2015 at 10:22 am
Great for him and hope the show is good. But crap for us as we are stuck with the stupid ending. They better do something with Tony in the new series or not giving Jack a final ending and having that little tease with Tony is utterly pointless.

24Fan1980
December 15, 2015 at 11:25 am
The new show sounds like it could take place in the same universe as 24. Except without the real time aspect. I could see this getting Castle’s timeslot next season (Monday at 10PM).

Will be interesting to see what does better: a Kiefer Sutherland thriller without real time, or 24 without Kiefer Sutherland. That is, if the spinoff/season 10 actually does happen.

They at the very least have to get some returning characters back and resolve Tony’s Solitary storyline if they do another season. But this is really disappointing that Jack Bauer’s character might never get a resolution. :(

24Fan1980
December 15, 2015 at 11:44 am
Deadline reports that Fox ( Kiefer’s former employer) already had a show called Designated Survivor in development. The plot lines are pretty similar too.

“There already is a drama titled Designated Survivor in the works for next season. The project, set up at Fox, is being written by Nikki Toscano and exec produced by Johnny Depp. In Fox’s Designated Survivor, when the President, VP, and Cabinet all meet in one location for an event such as the State of the Union, one Cabinet member is conspicuously missing: the Designated Survivor. Hidden away in an undisclosed location with Presidential-level security, the Designated Survivor is ready to take the reins of the President should the unthinkable happen and the rest of the government is wiped out in an attack. ABC’s green light to the Kiefer Sutherland series will likely impact the fate of the similarly-themed project at Fox.

Some of us were speculating that there may have been a salary dispute between Kiefer and Fox. So it’s very interesting that Kiefer would be doing a show on ABC with the same title and similar plot as one on Fox.

JohnGormleyJG
December 15, 2015 at 1:53 pm
But lets just hope ABC (Always Be Canceling) will actually keep this one. Please no mid season cancel!

Pat
December 15, 2015 at 6:12 pm
lol Fox is just as bad at cancelling things. NBC is as well. CBS barely cancels anything because it’s the same crap different day there.

24marathonman
December 17, 2015 at 5:58 pm
FOX should have realized…..” no one screws with jack Bauer”

DamnItTony
December 17, 2015 at 10:55 am
That look….can’t imagine Jack Bauer’s gonna be president….

24Fan1980
December 18, 2015 at 3:59 pm
Mary Lynn’s pilot Highston was just picked up by Amazon. Looks like she won’t be available for the spinoff if it happens.

JohnGormleyJG
December 18, 2015 at 7:45 pm
Ironically I posted the same comment. Did not notice yours. Becuse I had the 24Spoilers page already open in another tab.

24Fan1980
December 18, 2015 at 10:02 pm
No problem. :D

Amazon’s series development is very lengthy, so Highston might not even film for a while. The season itself probably will only take 2-3 months (9, 30 minute episodes). So maybe Mary Lynn could still have a recurring role if 24 ever does return.

JohnGormleyJG
December 19, 2015 at 3:55 am
Well, I actually know Mary Lynn quite well, so I will try keep in contact with her about the status of the show. Anyway at the rate the 24 Spin Off is moving I would not say the two would clash.

acer4666
December 19, 2015 at 6:31 am
Hey man, I think you may have dropped something…

24Fan1980
December 19, 2015 at 10:28 am
Wow, that’s awesome. Mary Lynn seems like a really cool person.

Re: the spinoff. If we don’t hear anything about it during the TCA’s or pilot season, I think it’s not going to happen.

JohnGormleyJG
December 19, 2015 at 11:25 am
@acer4666 What do you mean by dropped something?

acer4666
December 19, 2015 at 2:05 pm
JohnGormleyJG
December 19, 2015 at 2:17 pm
What did I do with that? All I said was what everyone else is saying with Mary Lynns new series

JohnGormleyJG
December 18, 2015 at 7:21 pm
Mary Lynn Rajskubs comedy series ‘Highston’ just got picked up by Amazon Prime!

Chirs
December 19, 2015 at 4:20 pm
Ted
December 19, 2015 at 5:07 pm
Thats from last August, man. Kiefer has changed his stance since then

Ted
December 19, 2015 at 5:06 pm
I get a feeling this show is going to be awful.

I hope Kiefer returns to 24 after this show gets cancelled, but there’s been no real news about a season 10 in almost 6 months…

JohnGormleyJG
December 23, 2015 at 3:00 pm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NsLntUtSB2g A Nice Little Mention In This Video!

Jeff Engel
December 31, 2015 at 4:26 pm
I hope there is at least a prequel in the new 24 that resolves Jack’s situation happily. Perhaps James Heller becomes the first president since Wayne Palmer to show some spine, reminding the Russian president that his operative targeted and murdered his daughter, so now it’s personal – send Jack home or else!!

24marathonman
January 1, 2016 at 7:32 am
My New Year’s wish for 2016 is that we get an official announcement of a new 24 series or a 24 movie.

acer4666
January 2, 2016 at 4:34 pm
Are the 24: Live Another Day DVD extras gonna be posted on this site like the other ones have been?

Bruce
January 3, 2016 at 1:53 am
Here’s 24 Solitary (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=laLIkM2MoLs). I know the title says review & recap, but that’s towards the end. The video does show the whole thing without interruption.

Marlon
January 3, 2016 at 5:16 am
Fox have blocked it – any one got another link?

JohnGormleyJG
January 3, 2016 at 1:20 pm
This link should work. https://vimeo.com/111269647

Acer4666
January 3, 2016 at 11:58 am
Yeah, I was wondering about the other DVD extras like deleted scenes. I know they filmed a whole scene at Aldershot barracks for LAD that involved military and explosions that got cut, I was wondering if it was shown in the deleted scenes

JohnGormleyJG
January 3, 2016 at 1:25 pm
Nothing here on deleted scenes. I know 24 Spoilers has gotten very busy in the last year or so. I know all the others are here. However I will try upload all those DVD extras on my 24 Youtube channel (24MegaFan) I am currently just uploading classic 24 clips on it but hope to expand on that with clips from other shows containing 24 cast, more interviews and DVD extras.

Will24
January 4, 2016 at 9:02 pm
Kiefer is a great actor no doubt. But for some reason some TV actors have a hard time breaking out of their old characters shadow. If you are a lead like Jack Bauer was, iconic for 9 years and then come back four years later and are still be so beloved and wanted again; most fans want to see Jack Bauer. I know he wants to do other projects to establish himself as more then Jack. He was also probably not offered close to the same money he got ten years ago. Also unwilling or unable to physically do what he did ten years ago. But unless this show attracts a lot of new people for a lot of reasons other than Kiefer, I don’t see his 24 fans following him to this project long term. Especially since the plot sounds like it could be a decent 24 season. IMO something went terribly wrong after LAD wrapped. It really seemed odd like after coming back to the success they hoped for and simultaneously Kiefer was so adamant about never going back when he had such an opportunity and season 10 could have had endless possibilities, endless plotlines resolved and room for any character to come back. I’m shocked it all fell apart. Finally, if Kiefer was not so adamant and took a ‘maybe’ or anything can happen approach to 24 instead of being so publically ready to run away from it forever it would only help him with future projects. All this negativity since even before LAD even premiered and the once cool Jack Bauer now seems like an ungrateful grouch. He ruined the party after he started it and whatever his strategy is/was if DS fails it will leave him in an awful predicament in his career. The 24 door might not be open forever if he should change his mind. And the fact its still open in 2016 incredible in itself.

24Fan1980
January 5, 2016 at 4:27 pm
Will be interesting to see how Kiefer’s show fairs next season. ABC’s dramas are mostly female-driven and DS might not fit in with their lineup. They could pair it with AoS on Tuesday or give it Castle’s timeslot (one of the most competitive timeslots on TV).

Fox is having their TCA panel on Friday, January 15. If there is any progress on the spinoff, we should be getting news then.

JohnGormleyJG
January 5, 2016 at 7:24 pm
We really are no step forward in the spin off than this time last year when you think about it. Its about time the writers pull their $#!T together and start into this series.

Will Always Miss Jack
January 5, 2016 at 8:56 pm
I think the new show that Kiefer is attached to sounds interesting. If the writing is solid and remains that way, if the characters are interesting with room for growth, if the character has a combination of strength, action, vulnerability, I think the new show definitely has potential both for loyal Jack/Kiefer fans and new viewers looking for good drama and could become a hit, whatever network it’s on.

As for what may or may not have gone on behind the scenes between FOX and Kiefer, don’t know and don’t care. That’s their business. 24 had been cancelled. I mourned it then. A movie was talked up and died because FOX wanted to do a big screen action movie on the cheap (bad idea IMO). Kiefer spent a lot of time trying to make that movie happen. I mourned it again. Then LAD came into being as a one-off project – not a re-launching of a 24 series (even if the fans had hopes) – and Kiefer liked the idea and came back.

Personally I don’t see a lot of negativity by Kiefer in regard to 24 and his connection to its past or it’s future without him. To me he seems gracious about passing the torch and wishing them well. It’s the many Jack fans, myself included, who are not interested in a 24 “reboot” w/o Jack. It is what it is. Maybe FOX can create lightning in a bottle twice, maybe they can’t. That’s for them to work out.

so if Kiefer wants to move on to a new project, I am excited and will certainly tune in to see what it’s all about and hope that it and he captures my imagination just as Jack Bauer had in his day.

Will24
January 6, 2016 at 2:38 am
I think we all hope deep down DS succeeds for Kiefer and wish him the best of luck. TV is better with him regardless. I really don’t get the whole point of LAD though. If you are going to bring the show back for 12 eps after 192 eps + redemption… make it have some kind of impact on the overall series. We got no real resolution at the end except for the fact that for Jack, to finally truly protect someone close to him, just gives himself up. We got no explanations on any of the fates of the characters the writers must know fans love that just vanished with no fate to ever be revealed after a lot of time was invested in their stories: Tony, Logan, Taylor, Kim, Mandy, Palmer 2, Martha, Aaron, etc… It really seemed like they were setting us up for more, wanted to do more and Kiefer pulled the plug. I know he agreed to a one and done and whatever happened behind the scenes after LAD to make him so adamant about never coming back is all irrelevant now but truly unfortunate and imo unnecessary. With so many stories that were never fully told or forgotten, that’s probably why they’re thinking total reboot. It’s not just Kiefer… it’s the whole 24 universe that seemed disorganized and falling apart since S6 when they forgot they blew up a nuke; it was scattered over five cities and three continents from 2007-2014. Behind the scenes for years its been a mess and LAD seemed no different. What was their big ideas after four years of pondering: no resolution except for Cheng, no Tony or true fan favs aside from the Heller’s and Chloe, a bland ending for such a legendary crazy show, another mole and lets go to London and use none of its charm except for Wembley, and in doing so, make it really hard to bring the show home. What was the point other than to reunite Jack with fans and FOX with the nostalgia of success? Then just let it fall apart? Even with all the disorganization since 07, was this truly supposed to be the 24 endgame?

Justin Urciuoli
January 6, 2016 at 4:40 pm
I can definitely see a 24 movie or 2 hour TV movie being announced very soon as a prequel to a spinoff/reboot of 24 which would be an event series. If the 24 reboot does well, then that would become a bonafide series! If the 24 two hour TV movies or 24 movie does well, those could continue in the breaks between the 24 seasons on TV!

24Fan1980
January 6, 2016 at 10:23 pm
With Kiefer now under contract with ABC, would he be allowed to star in a 24 TV movie right now?

Bruce
January 7, 2016 at 5:22 pm
I think so. David Duchovny is under an NBC contract for Aquarius (which somehow got renewed), but he’s about to appear on FOX for The X-Files. I imagine it can’t me a much different situation.

Justin Urciuoli
January 6, 2016 at 4:43 pm
The story of Jack Bauer in Russia needs to be resolved and so does the story of 24 solitary! I think Kiefer has been in negotiations all last year which is why he was very inconsistent on the future of Jack Bauer! The writers did not kill Jack off because they want to bring him back in some form. There is enough compelling stories for a lot more 24! They would not have wasted their time rebooting it after 4 years and that is just it!

Fox even said they plan on bringing the series back in 2016, meaning they will greenlight very soon and it should premiere after the superbowl next year!

24Fan1980
January 6, 2016 at 10:40 pm
I’d be totally up for a 24 TV movie resolving Jack, Tony and Chloe’s storylines. Kiefer has limited availability with production on his new series set to start this summer. If both networks can work out a deal, and if Designated Survivor doesn’t have a full length season (like many ABC series these days), maybe they could figure something out.

Justin Urciuoli
January 6, 2016 at 4:46 pm
I also have a good friend who knows Howard Gordon very well! He has told my friend back in November when asked the question about another 24, he said Stay tuned! This same friend yesterday asked him whether there will be an announcement next week and he said that he is still not sure, but is hoping we’re getting closer to something!

24Fan1980
January 6, 2016 at 10:52 pm
Wonder if there will be any official news during the TCA’s, including casting for the reboot. Brian Grazer said it was 50/50 that something would be announced last May at the TCA’s and that never would up happening.

Justin Urciuoli
January 6, 2016 at 5:57 pm
Or maybe the story will be wrapped up in a novel, videogame or straight to dvd release or online?

Justin Urciuoli
January 6, 2016 at 7:52 pm
Another possibility is an event series comes first which is season 10 and has all new characters. The story for season 10 would then lead into a 24 movie where the 24 movie has the new characters and returning characters going on a rescue operation to get Jack Bauer out of Russian prison for a big reason and then either Jack dies or lives happily ever after! Then that would lead into a season 11 of 24! If Jack lives then we could see more than one 24 movie! If the writers have been working on both an event series and 24 movie, I can see why it has taken so long for development this time around!

Justin Urciuoli
January 6, 2016 at 7:54 pm
Kiefer has hinted at this back in June where the movie and the series feed off each other!

Justin Urciuoli
January 7, 2016 at 7:06 am
I also think it could only be 1 installment without Kiefer Sutherland! I think doing a season without Kiefer opens up several compelling stories for Kiefer to return as Jack Bauer for a 24 movie, two hour TV movie or a season 11! I think that is why they went this route. If they brought back Jack Bauer right off the bat, then there is not much they can do with him, either than rescuing him from a Russian prison. After that it would get repetitive.

JohnGormleyJG
January 7, 2016 at 11:27 am
Justin can you tell this friend to suggest to Howard Gordon this idea I had for a while. A 7 episode mini series. Called ’24/7′ it is based in one week and each episode is based in that day of the week. E.g. Ep 1 Monday Ep 2 based on Tuesday… It would allow them to still use the clock format and I feel this is a fresh new format that could work out for 24. They would habe a lot more flexibility with storylines. Only being 7 eps could make it more exciting. Given that 1 hr ep is based on one day it makes it a lot more fast paced. Thanks this is an idea I had for a long time. Also if they were to do a movie I think a movie trilogy would be better Movie 1 the first 8 hours of the day Movie 2 Second 8 hours Movie 3 Third 8 hours. Films have another auidence to TV so some movie buffs might be inticed by the films and want to watch the original series. Could introduce some new fans.

X
January 7, 2016 at 10:38 am
Ha, for some reason, I picture the embodiment of the fans as Ving Rhames walking across the street, looking at the car in front of him and seeing Kiefer driving and whistling (“… smoking cigarettes and watching Captain Kangaroo, now don’t tell me I’ve nothing to do…”), having just signed on to a new series after he promised he would leave TV (I know he never said that) and couldn’t resume his duty as Jack Bauer. Fandom slowly starts to say in stunned disbelief, “Muthafu…” Kiefer hits the gas and hits Fandom with the car.

JohnGormleyJG
January 15, 2016 at 1:10 pm
24 Spinoff pilot officially ordered series called 24: Legacy with new main characters, cast not yet confirmed.

Justin Urciuoli
January 17, 2016 at 10:52 am
Kiefer talks about future of Jack Bauer last 8 minutes https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=dAiPlTQuE9c

Jackie Brown
January 26, 2016 at 2:10 pm
I am a DIE HARD 24 FAN!!! I’ve watched 24 since inception and was hooked the first time! i have every dvd for every season, etc. unfortunately, the “executives” should have left the last 24 rest. There is no 24 unless Keifer (Jack Bauer) is in it! Seriously, Jack (Keifer) made 24- HANDS DOWN!!! let this series rest if Jack is not back… Well, you know the saying: “once you go JACK, there is no going back!”
I’m happy for the youngman who is taking Jack’ place, and i wish him well. This show (24) was bulit on Jack, Chloe, Tony and all the original cast members that made this show a huge success! Now had you said, Jack is coming back for sure One last time, THEN I Would be in front of my TV; cellphone cut off and hanging the DO NOT DISTURB SIGN OUT! But Jack (Keifer) is not coming back…and neither is one of his biggest fans!!!!