Executive Producer-Director Jon Cassar Leaving 24

Longtime executive producer-director Jon Cassar has left 24 after failing to come to terms on a new contract.

“I will not be involved with the upcoming eighth season,” he tells Ausiello.

“Although that’s sad for me to leave after six years, it’s also very exciting to be back in the marketplace working with different people and facing different challenges.”

What’s even more surprising is that the split happened despite Cassar’s closeness with 24 star Kiefer Sutherland. In fact, Sutherland said originally that Cassar was crucial to the show.

“There is no more integral part to the success of 24 than Jon Cassar, and I think [exec producers] Joel Surnow and Howard Gordon will tell you the same thing,” he said. “We’re a whole unit, and one part doesn’t work without the other. He’s also obviously one of my best friends and someone that I absolutely adore working with. I have all the faith in the world that things will work out, as they have over the last seven years.“

Comments

By Tom Ingle, CSC, SASC

I worked with Jon Cassar in Toronto on the “Peter Benchley’s Amazon” TV series, and found him to be a decisive director who knew exactly what he wanted, not always found with a lot of directors. He is also an ex Steadycam operator, who knows the camera implicitly. He was a pleasure to work with on the above.

By Nifriez Contractor

Hi, I’m a writer director & producer of corporate documentary films in India. As a 24 junkie, its sad to know that Jon Cassar is not going to be part of Season 8. I thought Season 7 was technically very slick and well-paced – loved the shooting and the editing. Would love to work in any any capacity on the show. Maybe you could “outsource” Jack Bauer to India on holiday and have him handle a situation here??!!

By Pip

First Joel Surnow now this. Season 8 is gonna suck