Jon Voight joins 24

Simon Brew

The TV movie and season seven news juggernaut continues, and 24's latest casting news is very encouraging indeed...

Considering it’s been off our screens for a year now, and considering just how far season six fell, it’s amazing just how excited we continued to be about 24 news. But for this writer at least, 24 on form is a television experience not to be missed, and the upcoming two hour telemovie, being broadcast in advance of the full-on seventh series next January, can’t come quickly enough.

We already know that Robert Carlyle is on board, and we also know that – Bobby Ewing-style – Carlos Bernard is back in the cast. But the latest addition is as good a call since they dragged Dennis Hopper in for the very first season. For Jon Voight has now joined the cast.

Voight, it’s been confirmed, will be appearing the TV movie, and will also be, it seems, the main baddie for the back end of series seven. This is a good thing: the sixth series threw up so many different foes in the end that none of them every really felt that sinister. Voight, provided he doesn’t bring that sneer from Anaconda along, could fit in quite brilliantly.

Incidentally, Tony Todd is also in the cast. Todd, you may remember, was the Candyman in the films of the same name, and we really need to write about the flicks on this site soon. He’s down to play an African dictator in the film and series.

Could 24 be about to rediscover its form? Here’s hoping, for that cast is certainly a step in the right direction…