On the heels of The X-Files revival and the Netflix sitcom sequel series Fuller House is the next TV reboot, FOX’s upcoming 24: Legacy. Another terrorist conspiracy is set to occupy the CTU, which will return without 24‘s iconic lead Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland), but retain the original show’s real-time format of seeing an hour of the story play out during each episode.
With 2014’s 12-episode limited series, 24: Live Another Day proving a big success for the network, the continuation of the show is an exciting prospect for fans. For the past month, 24: Legacy has been busy filling out its main cast, with Straight Outta Compton star Corey Hawkins and Homeland‘s Miranda Otto set as the leads, along with The Flash‘s Teddy Sears as another key cast member.
Now, TV Line reports that 24: Legacy will add another familiar face to its cast as a major character: Sons of Anarchy and NYPD Blue‘s Jimmy Smits, who will play U.S. Senator John Donovan. Smits’ character is married to Miranda Otto’s former CTU head Rebecca Ingram and is a powerful political figure with aspirations for higher office.
FOX co-chairman and CEO Dana Walden also spoke a bit more about the premise:
“There’s a time jump, a new organization, a completely different story. It’s a contemporary story about the potential to activate sleeper cells in the United States. There are nods in the pilot to prior CTU agents, but no ongoing characters.”
Jimmy Smits is a powerful presence whenever he turns up and usually steals plenty of scenes, even as he provides solid and generous supporting chops. Fans have most recently seen him play brothel owner Nero Padilla on the final seasons of Sons of Anarchy, but he has experience playing a powerful politician in his role as U.S. Representative Matt Santos on The West Wing, a character modeled on Barack Obama.
Smits’ powerful senator character is of course bound to be a central figure in 24: Legacy‘s plot, and his relationship with Miranda Otto’s former director of the Counter Terrorist Unit sounds like a large and complicated conflict-of-interest story arc waiting to happen. Fans will undoubtedly feel Kiefer Sutherland’s absence in a big way, but with charismatic and versatile leads like Hawkins, Otto, and now Jimmy Smits involved, there is plenty of potential to not just please 24‘s diehard audience but draw in new viewers as well.
Screen Rant will continue to keep you posted with news of 24: Legacy as it develops.
