"24" Television Prequel Gets Premiere Date and Guest Star

Fox recently announced their fall schedule along with all the other networks. “24” won’t be returning until January when Season 7 will air with uninterrupted episodes. However, as we already know, a two hour prequel movie will be airing this fall that will bridge the gap between Season 6 and Season 7. Fox announced that the prequel will air on November 23, 2008.

In related news, sources confirm that Scottish actor Robert Carlyle (The Full Monty) has been cast in the prequel movie as Benton, Jack’s mentor in South Africa where a lot of the film takes place. Carlyle’s role is not expected to spill over into the show’s seventh season, but with “24″ you never really know.

Fox also gave us some press on the prequel as well as Season 7:

Shot on location in South Africa, Jack Bauer battles an international crisis, while here at home the nation prepares for a new president on inauguration day. Taking place just a few months before the new day dawns, the prequel will set the stage and raise the stakes for Season Seven.

“We’re excited about the prequel because it explores Jack’s complex emotional state of mind and still has all the signature excitement and suspense that fans have come to expect from 24,â€? commented executive producer Howard Gordon. “Shooting in South Africa affirms everyone’s commitment to making this season especially memorable for our fans.â€?

Celebrating its 150th episode this season, the series has resumed production on “Day 7� and will unfold without interruption in its regular time period Mondays (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) beginning in January 2009.

Set in Washington, DC, “Day 7� finds CTU dismantled and Jack Bauer on trial. Bauer’s day takes an unexpected turn when former colleague TONY ALMEIDA (Carlos Bernard) returns. Meanwhile, President ALLISON TAYLOR (Cherry Jones) leads the country alongside White House Chief of Staff ETHAN KANIN (Bob Gunton) and First Gentleman HENRY TAYLOR (Colm Feore).

A national security crisis prompts an investigation by a team of FBI agents including Agent JANIS GOLD (Janeane Garofalo), Agent RENEE WALKER (Annie Wersching), Agent LARRY MOSS (Jeffrey Nordling), Agent SEAN HILLINGER (Rhys Coiro) and security specialist MICHAEL LATHAM (John Billingsley). Although CTU is no longer, CHLOE O’BRIAN (Mary Lynn Rajskub) and BILL BUCHANAN (James Morrison) are back for another momentous day of shocking events.