Hollywood Reporter:

Jack Bauer's next chapter may be an early one.

Sources tell The Hollywood Reporter that the next installment in the 24 franchise will be an ongoing prequel series that tells the origin story of how Jack Bauer became Jack Bauer. Original series creators Joel Surnow and Bob Cochran are said to be teaming on an idea for the character originally played by Kiefer Sutherland. Executive producer Howard Gordon is attached to the project and is working with Surnow and Cochran on the idea.

Well, if a sequel with a new character didn’t work, why not go backwards?