‘The Flash’s Robbie Amell Talks ‘Arrow’ Team-Up, His ‘Batman’ Hopes & More

It’s safe to assume that actor Robbie Amell will look back on 2015 as a particularly good year. Not only did it see him star opposite Mae Whitman in the critical success The DUFF, or become a full-fledged DC Comics superhero in The CW’s shared Flash/Arrow universe, but landed him a role opposite Kevin Spacey in Barry Sonnenfeld’s high-concept comedy Nine Lives.

That’s quite a turn of events from the failed CW series The Tomorrow People,  and packed with no shortage of personal moments – not the least of which being the twist of fate that brought him from sharing a night of television programming with cousin Stephen Amell, but sharing the screen as two Justice League members. We recently had the opportunity to discuss that team-up with Amell, along with other tales from The Flash set, working opposite Mae Whitman (Parenthood), his hopes for DC’s TV and movie universe, and much, much more.

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A month ago you’re on TV playing a DC Comics superhero. Now you’re filming a Barry Sonnenfeld film in which Kevin Spacey plays a cat. How surreal is your life at this moment?

Robbie Amell: [Laughs] Kevin has been shot out. He shot the first three weeks of filming. I can’t tell you how cool it was. I’m such a huge fan of his for the weirdest reason: I thought K-PAX was such an awesome movie. I told him that. I was like, “By the way, the whole House of Cards, Usual Suspects, that’s all great. But I’m a huge K-PAX fan.” He thought that was pretty funny.

But it’s unreal. I’m getting to work with people I grew up watching and I’m such huge fans of. Christopher Walken’s in this movie. My dad brought me up on Pulp Fiction and Get Shorty and now I’m working with a guy from each of those movies, or the guy who directed one of them. I’m just very happy to be where I am and I’m very excited about it.

One of the most pleasant surprises of The DUFF was that you weren’t playing the bumbling obnoxious jock, or the sweet best friend; you were playing a combination of both. Were you eager to play Wesley because of his dual nature, it being so against type for that type of movie?

Robbie Amell: First off, thank you. I appreciate that. To be honest with you, I read the first 30 pages and I put the script down and I almost didn’t pick it back up, because the character was that stereotypical douchebag. I know that guy. I grew up with that guy in high school. I didn’t want to do that. And my fiancé convinced me to read the rest of it. You found out that this guy does have a heart, he’s just young, and he’s just a bit of an idiot and says some things he probably shouldn’t. But it just takes somebody like Bianca [played by Mae Whitman], just a friend, to kind of call him out on his sh*t to change a little bit.

The nice thing was, reading it, I definitely saw a version of myself in the character where I could just have a little more fun. I like the relationship between he and Bianca. The people at CBS Films were very cool, and in the meeting they said, “We want this movie to feel real and grounded and we’re going to give a lot of room for improv.” I’m such a huge fan of Mae’s, and I was before. I knew her work from Arrested Development and Parenthood. I knew there was a lot of improv background, so when I went in to chemistry read with her, I brought in a bunch of alternate lines. She never missed a beat. She was always right on top of them. But I made her laugh at one really inappropriate joke. We just got to kinda do that for five weeks, just try and make each other laugh and make it feel like these two people could actually have a relationship.

You mentioned how important chemistry is, and you spoke in the past about the challenge of joining The Flash, stepping into an existing cast to play Ronnie Raymond in a flashback that required sort of instant chemistry with Danielle Panabaker. How did that challenge evolve over the course of the season? Had you become a member of the family by the end, or did you have to find a place for yourself alongside the other cast members?

Robbie Amell: No, the nice thing about Danielle is we have a mutual friend – Aaron Yoo, who was on The Tomorrow People with me the year prior – he was like, “You guys are going to get along so well.” And Danielle is so sweet. I can’t say enough really nice things about her. And again, the producers were great, because we hadn’t had any time together. When we got to set we just hung out a little bit and they were like, “Feel free to just change up the lines. Make it feel like you guys have this history and this relationship.” So we tried out a few things in the first couple scenes.

What I always liked about Ronnie Raymond was that he doesn’t take things too seriously. He’s kind of goofy, which I thought was a trait that… it’s something I can relate to. I really like playing a little bit of goofiness. Chris Pratt does it really well. I just think it makes him feel more real and more like a buddy. So they let me goof around with that. The nice thing is they have such a great cast over there. It’s like 80% the same crew as The Tomorrow People. So it really felt like I was going back for Season 2 with some new faces.

Then when Victor Garber was cast, he and I had worked together a year prior on a little TV movie. He is such an incredible actor and just as incredible a friend. When I first met him, I was talking him to about my fiancé loving Titanic. When she came to visit set, before she could even get on set to come say hi to me, he had sought her out and sat her down and talked her ear off about Titanic and made her feel like family. Victor is incredible. We go out for dinners whenever we’re in town together. It’s just a nice family over on Flash. It’s a really nice place to work.

Now that you’re on set with Barry Sonnenfeld, moving from TV to film and back, people have said so often said that these superhero TV shows are almost akin to making a feature film. Has that been your impression?

Robbie Amell: Yeah. The only main difference is on The Flash you’re making a feature every eight days. When you are working on an actual feature, you have… on Nine Lives I think we have 47 shooting days. On one episode of The Flash you have eight shooting days plus a second unit day. So the only difference I really see is time. You have that freedom in features to take more time with scenes, but with that being said, those shows – Flash, Arrow, I’m sure some of the other ones – they just move so smoothly. And to do that much work in eight days, it really says something about the cast and crew and everybody involved. Those are really huge, huge productions. And you are doing a brand new small feature every eight days.

It now seems that Victor is going to be playing a more substantial part of Firestorm, which is nice for him, since you did get all of the glory shots as the superhero. He’s also said that you’ll both be returning for the next season premiere of The Flash. But you have yet to be confirmed for DC’s Legends of Tomorrow. I know you’re going to be cryptic, but as the immense Firestorm fans we are, is there any tease you can give us?

Robbie Amell: I can’t tell you anything other than I will be in The Flash next season.

Well, that’s a relief.

Robbie Amell: That’s all I can tell you. Sorry. [laughs]

It’s funny to even discuss, since we were expecting a small supporting role for Ronnie in the first season, not wanting to get our hopes up. Fast forward a few months and there’s Firestorm, right off the comic book page – a full-blown superhero. Were you aware of that plan going into it? Was it a big secret you managed to keep, or were you surprised to learn how substantial a role it would turn out to be?

Robbie Amell: No. I mean I never underestimate Greg Berlanti and Andrew Kreisberg and Geoff Johns, because they’re so unbelievably good at what they do. But when I read the episode that I burst into flames and fly away – first of all I was laughing like the teenage– no, the 10-year-old version of myself – but I asked them, like, “Is this too soon? Do you want to save me flying away?” They’re like, “Oh, no. we’re just getting started.”

I’ve had a blast getting to play this character. The sad thing is there was a moment in the finale that had to be cut out just because it was such a massive episode and it didn’t actually have anything to do with plot where they introduced matter manipulation. There’s a scene where Danielle’s character is checking my temperature and giving me the once-over. I call Victor in the room and we merge, and I turn her thermometer into a daffodil. It was just like a really nice, sweet way of showing… because she’s asking if we’re going to be OK, and I’m like, “Actually, we’re getting pretty good at this whole Firestorm thing.” And we merge without even missing a beat and turn that into a flower. It was a nice moment, but ultimately it just didn’t hold any bearing on the plot.

So, matter manipulation I’m sure will be reintroduced, or maybe it will be available on the DVD director’s cut of the episode. But there’s so much they can do with this character. My biggest fear with the character was that he was too powerful. I think that sometimes that can be an issue. I feel like that’s the only problem I ever have with the Superman comic book, is other than kryptonite, how do you stop this guy? But they’ve done an unbelievable job.

How much of a rush was it getting to actually share the screen with your cousin as two DC superheroes?

Robbie Amell: That was so cool. They told us they were going to try and figure out a way to do it. The funny thing was there were a bunch of different versions written where we have lines to one another and ultimately, they just said, “We don’t know how to do this without nudging the audience and giving them a wink.” So they just left it as, like… we don’t address each other [Laughs]. We’re both there on business and that’s it, which I thought was actually pretty funny.

Stephen has become the cheerleader for just about every DC Comics adaptation, saying that the way he sees it, this is the beginning of the golden age of superheroes on TV. Are you of a similar mind?

Robbie Amell: Oh, absolutely.

If that is the case, how will you look back on being a part of that?

Robbie Amell: I’m getting to live out my dream every time I get to set and shoot on The Flash. But he’s absolutely right. I mean technology is now at a point where visual effects can look incredible on television. You don’t need $200 million for an hour and a half for it to look good. Not only that, I mean the filmmaking level on television is just beyond what it used to be, from the shows that are on The CW with Arrow and Flash to the trailer for Supergirl, which was absolutely massive. I ripped through Daredevil in a week. It was unreal. He’s absolutely right. It’s a really incredible time to be working in television.

Alright, I’m hoping you can surprise us here. Because you are now officially a member of the DC Comics Universe, what are you most looking forward to from DC in the next few years?

Robbie Amell: Oh, man.

It doesn’t have to be one.

Robbie Amell: I’m very interested in Ben Affleck as Batman. I actually think he’s a great choice. I’m a little worried about a Batman versus Superman movie just because it’s… I just think it’s really tough to pull off. I’m very excited about seeing it, but I think it’s really tough to balance those two characters in the same movie. But I’m a huge Ben Affleck fan. I think he’s a great choice for Bruce Wayne. As long as he doesn’t have a Boston accent, I think he’s going to be awesome.

Great. Thank you again for taking the time to talk with us, and good luck with the rest of production.

Robbie Amell: Thank you. My pleasure. Good talking to you.

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The Flash‘s Season 2 premiere is scheduled for Fall 2015. The DUFF is available on DVD and Blu-ray now.

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‘The Flash': 12 Things We Want To See In Season 2

This Article Contains Flash Season 1 SPOILERS.

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The CW’s adaptation of The Flash became a hit in its freshman season on TV. The series not only widened the DC Comics TV shared universe started by Arrow, it also firmly established its own rich comic book mythology, in which super powered beings and time travel are all part of the norm. From that mythos came even more fantastical things (like a spinoff show about time-hopping heroes), which means sky’s the limit when it comes to what could happen in The Flash season 2.

We left Barry Allen (Grant Gustin) in a perilous situation, trying to stop a chaotic storm caused by his trip back through time to the night his mother died. The outcome of that situation could propel us into a very different world for season 2 of The Flash – but whatever may come, here are 12 Things We Want to See.

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1. A NEW OPENING MONOLOGUE

The CW DC superhero shows have retained a common structure and format when it comes opening and closing their episodes. Both The Flash and Arrow open an episode with their respective protagonists doing voice-over monologue, recounting the general story and themes of their origin, while viewers watch a montage of matching footage. It’s a quick and concise way to both remind forgetful viewers of what they’re watching, and quickly bring new viewers up to speed (pun).

…Of course, anyone who watches these shows faithfully also knows that by the end of a 22 episode season, these opening monologues (even if changed at midseason) can start to sound a little repetitive and tiring. With a new season, we hope The Flash gets a new opening monologue – one that will frame the storyline and themes for season 2 clearly, from the start.

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2. BETTER SUPERPOWER MASTERY & STRATEGIZING

The Flash season 1 did an admirable job of making speed force super powers feel suitably epic and convincing on the small screen, but one consistent criticism of the show is that, despite extensive training, Barry Allen never seemed to grasp the use of his powers with the confidence and skill of a true superhero.

Now that Dr. Wells (the show’s main crutch for propping up an inexperienced speedster) has seemingly been removed (or has he???), in season 2 we need to see Barry stop relying on outside guidance and start mastering his own powers. That includes vibrating through objects, moving his limbs (i.e., arms) to create vortexes, or better controlling his time travel sprints.

In addition to mastering his abilities as a speedster, we also need to see Barry (and by extension, #TeamFlash) start to make better strategic decisions when battling metahuman foes. Season 1 all but wore out the pattern of Barry running into fights unprepared, or with compromised strategies, only to narrowly escape death with some last-minute application of his powers. Season 2 needs to show us a Flash getting one step closer to that white emblem heroic version of himself from the future.

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3. BARRY’S DAD OUT OF PRISON

One aspect of The Flash that helped set it apart from so many other comic book TV shows (or movies even), is the excellent and moving dramatic threads that existed between Barry Allen and his two father figures, Detective Joe West (Jesse L. Martin) and Henry Allen (John Wesley Shipp). Scenes with Barry talking to Joe and/or Henry were so good, in fact, that we want to  see more of the latter in season 2.

With the whole mystery and mythology of Barry’s mother’s murder now revealed to the viewers (barring any temporal resets), it’s arguably time to move the show past Barry’s quest to free his father. But rather than leave things in a standoff where Barry and Co. can no longer prove Henry’s innocence (thereby forcing him to rot in jail) it would be much more interesting to have Henry back out in the world, trying to rebuild his shattered life.

Who would Barry live with? How would his relationship with Joe be affected? What would happen if Henry and Joe suddenly had different opinions about Barry’s lifestyle and future? How would Barry deal if his remaining parent was put in peril again? You see the sorts of drama that could be explored. John Wesley Shipp is strong actor in his own right, so just having him around to elevate a greater number of scenes would be a plus.

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4. (REASONABLE) EXPLANATION OF TOM CAVANAGH’S RETURN

TV veteran Tom Cavanagh pulled triple-duty in making The Flash‘s freshman season a success: his tempered demeanor was key in carrying the “Yoda” role as Barry Allen and #TeamFlash’s mentor, Harrison Wells. He was also good at playing the mysterious conspirator throughout season 1, while still being believably charming and fatherly – and when he finally went “full Eobard,” he was wonderfully animated and villainous (funny even), a far cry from the stoic place his character started in.

That all said, it’s been something of a mystery to see that Tom Cavanagh is still listed as a series regular for The Flash season 2.  Producers have already claimed that both Cavnagh and actor Matt Letscher (the real face of Eobard Thawne) are possibilities to return as The Reverse-Flash at some point in the future. But while having Letscher back on the show in an expanded role would make sense (Eobard Thawne finds a time paradox loophole), having Cavanagh back is definitely a head-scratcher, since Thawne presumably wouldn’t need to wear his Dr. Wells skin-suit anymore.

So will the real Dr. Wells somehow be resurrected? With so many unanswered questions – and time travel or the multiverse always potential factors – nothing is impossible. We just hope that the explanation given for Cavanagh’s continued presence is halfway reasonable.

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5. WALLY WEST

Every since we learned that Barry Allen would be the main character of The Flash TV series, fans have been wondering if/when they might see the second most famous speedster from the annuals of DC Comics: Iris West’s nephew Wally West, who has been the sidekick known as Kid Flash, as well as the full-fledged Flash for most of the ’90s and early ’00s.

When Flash spinoff TV show Legends of Tomorrow announced that actor Franz Drameh (Attack the Block, Edge of Tomorrow) was joining the series in an unknown superhero role, speculation from fanboys was that he would be playing a character like Cyborg, or possibly Wally West. In DC’s “New 52″ comic book reboot (which has influenced their TV/movie universes, and vice a versa), Wally West was reimagined as an African-American character, instead of a white ginger. That change to the books makes synergistic sense, given that in the Flash TV show Iris and Joe West are black, and therefore, their relative (barring a Fantastic Four situation) would also presumably be black.

Whether Drameh is Wally West – or some other actor eventually takes the role – we would love to see fans’ other favorite Flash at least get a first introduction in season 2, before possibly speeding toward a larger destiny.

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6. TRUE GORILLA GRODD

The Flash season 1 earned major points for being able to bring one of the hero’s most outlandish villains (a telepathic Gorilla named Grodd) to the small screen in believable enough – often scary – fashion. But while that CGI gorilla lurking in the shadows might’ve been a milestone for comic book TV fans and showrunners, he was but a light brush stroke of who Grodd is in the DC Universe.

From the comic book page to being  included in several DC cartoon series (Justice League, Batman: Brave and the Bold), Grodd has come to be one of the more recognized villains in the DC stable. In those cartoon appearances (particularly the early ’00s Justice League cartoon series) Grodd was presented as a mastermind antagonist, which is definitely something The Flash TV series did NOT explore, instead positioning the gorilla as a boogeyman haunting the sewers, doing the Reverse-Flash’s dirty work. Needless to say, there’s room for growth in the character.

While we never expect The Flash TV series to delve into things like Gorilla City, we do expect Gorilla Grodd to make a big return, hopefully leading his own scheme instead of working as someone else’s underling.

7. MORE ALTERNATE REALITY STORIES

With The Flash TV series having already broached topics like time travel and alternate timelines, we (like many fans) want to see a (literally) new world of story possibilities open up in season 2.

The Flash showrunners have already confirmed that the DC multiverse will be a focus of season 2, so there’s some underlying guarantee that this particular fan wish will be granted; but how the show uses the multiverse will be just as important as the fact that it uses it at all. Season 1 made an intriguing two-part episode out of Barry altering a very pivotal day in his timeline, showing us how the series can use different versions of reality to its storytelling benefit.

On the other hand, shows like Fringe and Heroes got bogged down exploring too many alternate versions of reality. Despite the vast possibilities, we do want The Flash to keep its central, serialized, storyline streamlined and focused – but that doesn’t mean we can’t get a few one-off, “Elseworlds” episodes where Barry and/or Team Flash find themselves  playing in different versions of reality. Those same alt-verse episodes could present wonderful new versions of established characters or heroes, and maybe a few new ones to meet. Given the long history of DC Comics mutlitverse and Elseworlds stories, there’s no limit to what The Flash can explore.

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8. NEW SPEEDSTERS

One of the most exciting aspects of The Flash season 1 was seeing two rival speedsters do battle, or using their respective powers for heroic and terrifying ends, respectively. As comic book fans know, Flash and Reverse-Flash aren’t the only speedsters in DC lore – in fact there are more than a dozen speedsters to choose from.

The Legends of Tomorrow trailer already dropped an Easter egg for Golden Era Flash, Jay Garrick, with that spinoff series likely to explore the idea that there are other speedsters besides the Flash and Reverse-Flash in the DCTVU.  So if the spinoff series is possibly introducing other speedsters, we’d like to see the main Flash TV series do the same.

Besides Jay Garrick and Wally West, we’d like to see a fun twist on things by having an “Elseworlds” type episode featuring an alt-reality where Barry’s dad is The Flash. Since it was John Wesley Shipp who made Barry Allen and The Flash famous in the ’90s TV series, so seeing him back in the suit would be a superb wink to older fans. Other than that, characters like Max Mercury or Johnny and Jesse Quick are all still on the table – either in their classic heroic depictions, or villainous versions from alternate earths.

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9. MORE DC TV MULTIVERSE EASTER EGGS

Following closely on our wish for more alternate reality storylines comes this wish to see the DC TV universe expand itself even further, through clever Easter eggs that could look beyond the dimensional barriers to places like Earth and Earth-2, or the Flashpoint timeline.

The trailer for the Legends of Tomorrow spinoff series indicates that the Flash’s actions in the timestream (and future destiny as a renowned hero) will have a far-reaching effect on the DC TV universe, and could arguably spawn any number of new heroes who could one day lead their own respective TV series.

But since the LoT gang aren’t the only heroes hopping through time, we’re hoping that The Flash season 2 will continue to open new DCTV doors, as well. And with the multiverse as its play thing, maybe the show could at least reference alternate versions of big icons like Batman and Superman (a future featuring Batman Beyond, perhaps)? without spooking WB over the sanctity of the Batman V Superman movie brand. That alone would be a small miracle.

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10. THE RETURN OF REVERSE-FLASH

The Reverse-Flash was a frightening “big bad” to have hanging over season 1 of the show, and the twist about Dr. Wells and Eobard Thawne was one that virtually no one saw coming. Even though the story arc between Thawne/Wells and Barry Allen is seemingly over, fans of the comics know that the Reverse-Flash has more than one way of making a return.

With alternate timelines on the table, a new Reverse-Flash can come from anywhere, anywhen, and it could be anyone able to harness the speed force hiding under his yellow mask. Since season 1 did such a good job building the villain and revealing his secrets, we’d like to see that tradition continue into season 2.

Besides having actors Matt Letscher and/or Tom Cavanagh back as possible Reverse-Flashes, it would be fun to see some other actors possibly tackle the role. John Wesley Shipp would be a fun candidate (even for just an episode) – and it would be a big twist to see an alternate version of Eddie Thawne (Rick Cosnett) show up as Reverse-Flash II. How would Iris handle that one?

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11. MORE PIED PIPER

Evil metahumans running amok often gave The Flash season 1 a kind of Smallville ‘freak of the week’ feel, which it thankfully countered with some great mythos and serialized storylines. However, in the lineup of superpowered baddies locked out of sight in S.T.A.R. Labs’ basement (and likely out of viewers’ minds), there was one who managed to breakout, both figuratively and literally: Hartley Rathaway, The Pied Piper (Andy Mientus).

Flash’s version of Pied Piper established an openly gay villain (played by an openly gay actor) without making his sexuality a distracting (and reductive) focus. The combination of the writers’ backstory and dialogue for Hartley, as well as Mientus’ wittily fickle performance, also made the Piper one of the more complicated and well-layered villains on the show.

If Wentworth Miller spouting comic book platitudes as Captain Cold is enough to secure him a starring slot on Legends of Tomorrow, then Andy Mientus’ Pied Piper should definitely getting a bigger role in this DCTVU. Hopefully Flash season 2 takes advantage of that opportunity.

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12. CISCO GETS A GIRL (AND POWERS!)

During The Flash‘s early marketing and promotion campaign, it seemed as though Team Flash – specifically the character of Cisco Ramon (Carlos Valdes) – could be a detriment. Trailers for the The Flash pilot made the S.T.A.R. Labs crew look like a comedic relief Scooby gang, with Cisco being the hammiest of the bunch. Thankfully, the exact opposite turned out to be true: #TeamFlash became a big part of the show’s chemistry and charm, with Cisco quickly becoming a fan-favorite male counterpart to Arrow‘s Felicity Smoak. But unlike virtually every other character on the show, there’s one big thing Cisco has been missing: a (serious) love interest.

After seeing how Cisco made sparks fly with bad girl Lisa Snart (aka “Golden Glider”), it’s clear that even the nerdier half of the Ramon brothers has a fair amount of swagger. In season 2, we’d like to see Cisco get someone to really care about – be it Lisa, or some new girl who arrives on the scene. (Please not Caitlin – that would be “#Olicity” level awkward).

With a serious love interest, we may also have the perfect vehicle for Cisco to fulfill Eobard Thawne’s prophecy in the season 1 finale, as love is usually a good motivator for the type of accident or sacrifice that creates a superhero. And ever since the name “Cisco Ramon” was included in the show’s roster, fans have been waiting to see the DC hero known as Vibe on the small screen.

With “Caitlin Snow” also poised to become the villainous Killer Frost, it’d be a highlight of season 2 to see S.T.A.R. Labs’ star pupils battling one another with metahuman powers.

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CONCLUSION

Those are just a dozen things we want to see in The Flash season 2, but if you were paying attention to season 1, you probably know that a lot of these things are already set up on the game board – along with hints and teases of many other fun things to come.

If you want to know more about what the showrunners of The Flash are setting up for season 2, be sure to read the article below:

The Flash season 2 begins airing on The CW in Fall 2015, along with Arrow season 4. Supergirl will debut on CBS in November 2015. DC’s Legends of Tomorrow will air on The CW during the 2015-16 season. Titans is expected to debut on TNT during the first half of 2016.

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Kiefer Sutherland Done Starring In ’24′; May Cameo In Spinoff

For eight seasons, Kiefer Sutherland’s Jack Bauer served as the ideal post-9/11 action hero on 24, foiling terrorists and generally saving the world in just one day. When the show ended in 2010, it seemed as if viewers would have to say goodbye forever to the series and its iconic lead character.

Of course, FOX network brought the show back last year for the limited series 24: Live Another Day (read our review), leaving a speck of hope that Sutherland could return as Bauer on a more regular basis. Recent reports have indicated that this isn’t the case, with FOX contemplating a spinoff featuring a new lead. Now Sutherland himself has weighed in on the possibility that he’ll be back for more 24.

Deadline recently caught up with the actor and touched base on whether he’d return for another run of episodes. Here’s what he had to say:

“I’m not coming back to do 24 because there are other things I want to do. And when they said limited-series run, I meant it. But I’ve always felt, from Season 1 on, that 24 is such a great idea that this can go on forever. I think if you create a new cast or other characters in the telling of this story, it will bring a freshness. And let’s face it there’s only so many bad days one can have before the show becomes a mad comic. And what I don’t want it to be is a mad comic…it doesn’t rule out to one having a cameo.”

While the show arguably may have gone too far in portraying Bauer as having near-superhuman survival skills, Sutherland does have a point. There’s only so many times his character can walk away from such large-scale disasters without 24 losing its suspense and impact on viewers. Jack Bauer may have become an incredibly popular character, but what truly made the show unique was its real-time approach to storytelling.

Fans are likely reassured that Sutherland sounds game for brief appearances on a prospective new series, which FOX could debut as early as 2016. After all, the man has spent eight years playing Bauer; it’s hardly fair to expect him to lock up his schedule with more of the same for the foreseeable future.

Interestingly, we’ve heard as early as last fall that there was still talk of adapting the show into a big-screen production, and one wonders where Sutherland stands on reprising his role in a shorter-term project such as this. In the meantime, fans better get used to a 24 without Jack Bauer.

Are you disappointed that Sutherland is largely finished with 24, or is it time for a new character to race against time? Sound off in the comments section below.

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