We’ve all heard the Movie rumours before, every time they emerge they appear to have a little more weight and reality behind them, and while it’s started to become a little boy who cried wolf, the latest batch that have arisen today have more weight than any previous.

Reports in Variety.com and and Entertainment Weekly’s website have the same common details. Fox have recently heard a pitch by “scribe Billy Ray (“State of Play,” “Flightplan”) … which takes Jack Bauer to Europe”.

Both articles point out the circumstances under which the project would move forward. “Fox doesn’t have a deal for a ninth season of “24” and hasn’t yet decided whether to order another season.”, Ratings in the coming weeks are apparently the key factor in the possible renewal for the ninth season. While not laid out explicitly in either article, it would appear that Fox as a corporate entity aren’t facing a straight choice between a ninth season and a Movie. Rather the Fox Television Network must decide if they wish to enter talks over a ninth season. If the network pass then it’s up to 20th Century Fox TV and Film Studios to decide if to move forward with the Movie.

There is however a third option, if the Fox Network pass, 20th Century Fox could offer a ninth season of the show to the other U.S. networks. With all these complex corporate dealings to be undertaken you do start to wonder exactly where and if the creative process of the show weighs in on the decision. As ew.com note… “A decision is needed soon; … the producers are preparing to write the 23rd and 24th episodes of the current season so they need to know whether to pen a series finale.”

Personally i’ve always thought a 24 Movie would be interesting, although if the decision is made because the number don’t add up on a ninth season and not because creatively the producers thought it was the way they want to go, then suddenly i’m less interested.