Film deal signed for big-screen version of ‘24’

Will the big screen give Jack Bauer his biggest, baddest day yet?

20th Century Fox and the producers of the Fox TV show “24” have signed a deal to make a film version of the counterterrorism exploits of special agent Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland).

Sutherland wants to reprise his favorite role, but the deal is not final yet, his publicist said.

“It will follow along the continuum of Jack’s life but won’t be tied to the TV show narratively,” Howard Gordon, executive producer of “24,” said of the movie.

And don’t worry: You won’t have to spend an entire day in a theater to get the whole story. The film will abandon the show’s real-time clock, so all of the action won’t take place in a 24-hour period.

“We felt too constrained by it, and we realized one day that Jack Bauer was such a strong character that he could fill the big screen,” Gordon said.

Another ‘L’ for Cybill

Cybill Shepherd is headed to Showtime’s drama “The L Word” next season.

The former “Moonlighting” star has signed on for 11 episodes of the show, playing the vice chancellor of the fictional college where Bette (Jennifer Beals) is taking graduate courses. The character, who is married and has kids, starts reconsidering her sexuality at middle age.

The role will be the first extended series work for Shepherd since her CBS sitcom “Cybill” in the late 1990s. She has starred in several TV movies – two of which had her playing Martha Stewart – and done a handful of guest appearances since then.

Shepherd is the second high-profile addition to the fourth-season “L Word” cast. Oscar winner Marlee Matlin (“Children of a Lesser God”) also has signed on as an artist who “catches the attention” of Bette.

‘Playhouse’ replay

After being shuttered for more than 15 years, the doors to “Pee-wee’s Playhouse” are being reopened.

The Emmy-winning show will get new life on the Cartoon Network’s late-night Adult Swim lineup, which will air all 45 original episodes beginning July 10.

Known for his big laugh and small suit, Pee-wee Herman (played by Paul Reubens) gained worldwide fame in 1985 as the star of the film “Pee-wee’s Big Adventure,” directed by Tim Burton. That led to “Pee-wee’s Playhouse,” which originally aired Saturday mornings on CBS beginning in 1986.

‘The Eye’ on iTunes

CBS has become the latest media company to make its content available on Apple’s iTunes service.

Users can download previous episodes of all three members of the “CSI” franchise and reality flagship “Survivor,” along with the dramas “NCIS” and “Numb3rs.” Starting in the fall, new episodes will become available they day after they air on the network.

The addition of CBS means that shows from each of the Big Four networks are now available on iTunes. The new additions will cost $1.99 an episode, the same as most other video offerings on the site.