Deadline released a report today regarding the circumstances behind the delay of the film adaptation of the Fox TV series 24, which stars Kiefer Sutherland as Counter Terrorist Unit agent Jack Bauer.

The project hasn't been greenlit and Antoine Fuqua has not been confirmed, although the scoop is that Fuqua is in talks to direct.

20th Century Fox doesn't seem to be going forward with the project this year, although production was originally slated for the end of March. Among the reasons cited in an update sent a few hours later are budget conflicts, along with Sutherland's $1 million dollar offer to reprise the TV role on the big screen. According to the report, insiders speculated that Sutherland should have gotten at least $2 million, although that would be $3 million less than the original negotiations of $5 million.

Also, Fox was trying to make the film on a $30 million budget, but the filmmakers wanted to raise that amount to $45 million, then to $60 million. When the studio's proposal was addressed this week, they deemed the seven-week prep time too time constraining. Besides, Fuqua, Sutherland and Imagine Studios would reap 25% of the proceeds after break-even.

Until the monetary situation gets settled, it doesn't look like Fox is moving forward with the highly anticipated 24.

I've never watched the series, so there's really no anticipation here. What about you?