'24: Legacy' Star Corey Hawkins Opens Up About Rebooting Franchise With A Black Hero!

Fox is bringing 24 back without Kiefer Sutherland as the franchise star Jack Bauer, instead, 24: Legacy revolves around Corey Hawkins as Eric Carter – a young veteran of the War in Afghanistan who finds himself the target of a terrorist group.

Wile speaking at the 24: Legacy panel during the FOX portion of the 2017 Winter TCA Press Tour held at Langham Hotel on Wednesday (January 11) in Pasadena, the 28-year-old actor opened up about the cultural significance of his casting.

“The script happened to be amazing when I read it,” Corey added (Variety). “It lifted off the page, and my mind just started going with where you can take it and what it means in television to be a hero and look like I look. It’s not just about his skin color, it’s about his culture. It’s about where he grew up. It’s about what does it mean, what are the alliances growing in Washington, D.C. southeast, where I happen to personally have grown up.”

Corey was joined at the panel by his co-stars Miranda Otto, Ashley Thomas, Anna Diop, Jimmy Smits, and co-creators Evan Katz and Manny Coto – Watch the new trailer below!

Also promoting shows that afternoon and at the FOX TCA All-Star Party: Star cast Queen Latifah, Amiyah Scott, Naomi Campbell, Benjamin Bratt, and creator Lee Daniels. Shots Fired stars Helen Hunt, Conor Leslie, Stephen Moyer, Mack Wilds, DeWanda Wise, Jill Hennessy, Aisha Hinds, Richard Dreyfuss, Stephan James, and Sanaa Lathan, The Mick‘s Kaitlin Olson, New Girl‘s Jake Johnson and Hannah Simone, and Lethal Weapon‘s Clayne Crawford and Damon Wayans.

FYI: Corey is wearing an AllSaints shirt.