It appears the 24 movie is finally moving ahead, but those worried about how the concept will fare on the big screen need look no further than a forgotten Johnny Depp thriller. 24’s use of real time set it apart from other TV thrillers when it premiered in 2001, with each episode covering an hour in a particularly hectic day in the life of CTU Agent Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland). Later seasons of 24 became more outlandish with the threats Jack faced, but the show was never less than compulsively watchable.

Development on a film version began soon after the original series ended following its eighth season in 2010. There was a crossover idea dubbed Die Hard 24/7, where Jack would have teamed with Bruce Willis’ John McClane. Sutherland himself nixed this, and while filmmakers like Tony Scott and Antoine Fuqua were linked to a solo film, it ultimately fell through in lieu of revival miniseries Live Another Day in 2014. It has now been confirmed the 24 movie is back in development, though plot details have yet to be revealed.

Johnny Depp’s Nick Of Time Proves 24 Can Work As A Movie

Real time can absolutely work on the big screen

The return of 24 is cause for celebration from fans, though there’s confusion over how the premise will work. After all, unless the film itself is 24 hours long, some changes will need to be made to accommodate the real time element. While this format can add genuine suspense, most movies or shows tend to avoid it because it’s difficult to maintain. Nick of Time is the rare movie that takes place entirely within real time, where Johnny Deep’s meek accountant is given an hour to commit an assassination or his daughter will be killed instead.

By any metric, the film was a failure upon arrival in 1995. Nick of Time grossed a mere $8 million on a budget of $33 million (via Box Office Mojo), and reviews weren’t much better. It currently sits at 30% on Rotten Tomatoes, but despite its initial reception, Nick of Time has earned a cult following. The thriller’s real time format really helps dial up the suspense, and while Gene is one of Depp’s least memorable characters, he’s surrounded by the likes of Charles S. Dutton, Roma Maffia and Christopher Walken, who devours scenery as the main villain.

Nick of Time also proves a real time thriller like 24 can work as a movie and that the format can be a help instead of a hindrance. Audiences can feel the minutes ticking by as Gene tries to worm out of the assassination. It even manages to squeeze character development and little arcs into its slim runtime, an impressive feat in itself.

24 Already Experimented With A Movie Version

2008’s Redemption tested the waters for a 24 film

The franchise moving to the big screen is an exciting change, but it technically won’t be the first 24 movie. That honor belongs to 24: Redemption, a 2008 TV film that took Jack to Africa. This spinoff was created when production on the seventh season was delayed due to the Writers Strike of 2007-2008; not wanting to have Jack off the air for a whole year, Redemption was created as a bridge between 24 seasons 6 and 7.

Kiefer Sutherland also co-starred in 2002’s Phone Booth alongside Colin Farrell, which also employed a real time element and largely took place in a confined location.

This TV movie laid the groundwork for key characters in season 7, and condenses the entire story into two hours. Viewed as an experiment, 24: Redemption is an intriguing curio and one that felt more cinematic in scope and execution. It also marked the first time the property moved overseas. Still, it’s not an essential part of the series and is rarely mentioned nowadays. Whether the filmmakers behind the upcoming movie learned any lessons from Redemption is another question.

How Will The 24 Movie Adapt The Show’s Premise?

Will “events still take place in real time” in the 24 film?

The most logical choice would involve the 24 film unfolding over a single day while having the last act take place in real time.

So little is known about the 24 movie that even Kiefer Sutherland’s involvement hasn’t been confirmed by its makers. Outside of the possible return of Jack Bauer, one of the big questions surrounding it is how the film will adapt the show’s format. It feels like there are only three options available, with the first being that the 24 movie adaptation could drop the real time elements entirely and instead take place over the course of 24 hours. This is an obvious route – but one that would be incredibly disappointing too.

Real time is just as key to the franchise’s success as Jack himself, so it needs to be included in some way. The second option is to copy what Redemption did and have the entire story take place within a two hour timeframe instead of covering a whole day. The third choice is probably the most logical, which involves the 24 film unfolding over a single day while having the last act take place in real time.