Kiefer Sutherland is returning to TV as the star of ABC’s “Designated Survivor,” which has a straight-to-series order.
David Guggenheim wrote the script on spec, and Simon Kinberg is executive producing via his Genre Films production banner. The Mark Gordon Company is primary studio on the project alongside ABC Studios.
The series will see Sutherland as a low level cabinet member who becomes President after everyone before him in line to the presidency dies in a catastrophic attack during the State of the Union.
Guggenheim will also be an executive producer on the series, alongside Kinberg, Sutherland and Susan Bymel.
This will mark Sutherland’s latest stint on TV following his reprisal of Jack Bauer on Fox’s revival limited series “24: Live Another Day.”
Prior to that, he starred on the network’s “Touch,” which was canceled after one season. He is represented by CAA and Management 360.