Fox to Bring Back ’24’ as a 12-Hour Special Event

Jack Bauer will soon have another ticking time bomb to defuse.

“24,” the counterterrorism drama that brought to life the American’s public’s fears after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, is returning to Fox as a 12-hour special event next year, the network said Monday. Kiefer Sutherland will return in the title role of Jack Bauer, a secret agent who will stop at nothing to stave off impending attacks.

“The response to ‘24’ is unlike anything I have ever experienced as an actor before,” Mr. Sutherland said in a statement. “To have the chance to reunite with the character, Jack Bauer, is like finding a lost friend.” He thanked the producers and Fox for the opportunity and added, “Make no mistake, my goal is to knock your socks off. See you soon.”

Fox said the new version of “24,” with the subtitle “Live Another Day,” would likely premiere in May 2014. It will be shown for 12 weeks in a row as part of what Fox calls a “limited series” strategy. That means it is intended to be a one-time event â€" though in television, those plans can always change.

The network has a second “limited series,” called “Wayward Pines,” in the works for 2014 as well.

Fox said “24: Live Another Day” would stick with the show’s original conceit, a 24-hour clock, but would skip some hours and condense others to fit into the 12-hour format. Kevin Reilly, the chairman of Fox Broadcasting, told reporters on a Monday morning conference call that 12 hours “is the perfect form” for “24” this time around because the spine of the past seasons had about 12 hours worth of action, with “little events and connective tissue in between.”

Fox will promote the plans for the franchise’s return at its annual event for advertisers on Monday afternoon.

“24,” at its height in the early 2000s, regularly drew 10 million to 15 million viewers, and it became a big hit on DVD, partly thanks to its 24-hour format. (It was meant for binge-viewing years before the term was popularized by Netflix and other streaming services.)

The show ended in 2010. There has been occasional talk since then about a “24” film, but Mr. Reilly said that the producers concluded that “'24’ being compressed into two hours isn’t ’24.’ ”

With its brutal scenes of torture at the hands of Bauer, the series was sometimes a rorschach test for post-9/11 counterterrorism strategies. The threats portrayed in “24,” and Bauer’s responses to them, were repeatedly evoked by Bush administration officials and Republican presidential candidate. Some activists blamed the show for popularizing the use of torture and misleading viewers into thinking that the tactics were effective.

Howard Gordon, an executive producer of the series, said in a statement on Monday that the Bauer character “has evolved through the years, and this new and exciting event series format is perfect to tell the next chapter of his story and continue to reflect how the world is changing.”