After some understandable silence from the official 24 sources, it was just yesterday broken when executive Manny Coto was quoted talking about the upcoming prequel in a press release for the latest round of 24 online promotional tie ins. Those wishing to stay spoiler free should probably stop reading now.

To further fill “24’s” gap this year, Coto says a two-hour “prequel” TV movie is expected to air this fall, which will bring Kiefer Sutherland’s Jack Bauer to Africa and “lead directly into the events of Season Seven.”

“He’s a soul in turmoil and has been moving from place to place trying to find somewhere he can be at peace,” Coto says. “But he winds up in Africa in the middle of a military coup.”

Meanwhile, Bauer is subpoenaed to appear before the Senate hearing while in Africa, but doesn’t want to go.

“He’s not running away from anything,” Coto says. “It’s because they’ve taken everything from him, but they won’t let them take his freedom.”

Yep, thats right, the prequel has actually brought back an idea that most thought was brave but probably unworkable. Jack in Africa. Being done in the form of a two-hour prequel seems to fit it much better, and gives me hope that actually the prequel will be something other than two episodes bolted on to the front of the main story.

UPDATE:

According to TV Guide’s Ask Ausiello, the prequel will indeed be shooting some scenes in Africa.

… Remember when I told you last summer that 24 execs were forced to scrap plans to shoot a chunk of Season 7 on location in Africa due to budgetary concerns on the part of Fox? Well, apparently someone found some extra dough lying around, because I hear producers are currently scouting locations in Africa to film scenes for this fall’s two-hour prequel movie.

This is good news, although clearly not all the scenes set in Africa will be shot in Africa, and so the key will be blending those scenes shot in Africa and those shot someone that looks like Africa together.

On Season 7 proper Coto says …

“Jack Bauer is under Senate investigation for crimes against humanity,” Coto explains. But while in Washington, FBI agent Renee Walker brings him in to deal with a series of possible terrorist attacks instigated by former CTU agent Tony Almeida, previously presumed dead. “Jack’s thrust into this mystery of how Tony is still alive, and why is he trying to bring down this country?”

For all the latest and most up to date news on Season 7, keep checking back.

source : ap.google.com
more : tvguide.com