After playing the “designated survivor” on the ABC (and subsequently Netflix) series of the same name, Kiefer Sutherland is heading back into spy territory for his next show.
Sutherland, who memorably spent nine seasons violently interrogating people and attempting to foil terrorist plots as CTU agent Jack Bauer on the Fox staple 24, is set to star in this untitled drama on the newly rebranded Paramount+ streaming service. John Requa and Glenn Ficarra, the duo behind movies like Crazy Stupid Love and the Will Smith/Margot Robbie con artist film Focus, will executive produce and direct this series. Get more details below.
Variety reports that a new Kiefer Sutherland spy show is in the works, and “it finds private espionage operative James Weir (Sutherland) in the midst of a battle over the preservation of democracy in a world at odds with misinformation, behavioral manipulation, the surveillance state and the interests that control these extraordinary powers.”
While much of 24 has not aged well, especially with regards to the show’s treatment of characters who are supposed to have been from Middle Eastern countries, it unquestionably had a “ripped from the headlines” feel that gave it a vital, “you’ve gotta see this now” type of energy when it was on. This synopsis for the new show is giving me flashes of that kind of energy, too, but while 24 had a slick, real-time approach that made it feel novel, I’m not sure if this show is going to be able to come up with that extra intangible to make this a must-watch show for people. And considering the precarious state of this country’s actual democracy at the moment, it actually seems like this show could be fighting an uphill battle getting viewers to tune into something that’s so close to our dire reality.
Requa and Ficarra are writers on the eight-episode series, and in addition to directing, they’ll executive produce alongside Sutherland, Charlie Gogolak, and Suzan Bymel.
“I’ve been an admirer of John Requa and Glenn Ficarra’s unique body of work for some time, and I’m thrilled to be working on this exciting new project with them and Paramount Plus,” Sutherland said in a statement. That unique body of work includes films like I Love You Philip Morris, Crazy Stupid Love, Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, Focus, seven episodes of the NBC sitcom This is Us, and the upcoming WeCrashed TV series, which stars Anne Hathaway and Jared Leto.
This series is expected to hit Paramount+ sometime in 2022.
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