LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The real-time TV thriller "24" is headed to the big screen under a deal between movie studio 20th Century Fox and the show's producers, trade paper Daily Variety said on Thursday.

The Hollywood publication said no deals are in place with the cast, although star Kiefer Sutherland -- an executive producer of the series -- has said he would like to reprise his role as sleep-deprived action hero Agent Jack Bauer in a feature version.

However, the paper said the "24" movie would likely abandon the TV show's distinctive real-time conceit, meaning that all the murder and mayhem will no longer be squeezed into one day. A rough plot outline has been drafted, but no details have been disclosed, it said.

Fox, a unit of News Corp., struck a deal with series creators Robert Cochran and Joel Surnow, who will write the script, and executive producer Howard Gordon, who will work on the story, Daily Variety said. The feature could potentially shoot next spring and summer during the hiatus between season six and a likely seventh season of "24."

The critically acclaimed "24" series, which airs in the United States on News Corp.'s Fox Broadcasting unit, saw ratings improve by 14 percent for the just-wrapped fifth season, with nearly 14 million viewers tuning in every week, the paper said.

i dont know about this. without the realtime element, itll be just another action/thriller i think. unless they somehow managed to merge the end of a season with this movie in a really cool way, im not sure how they would pull this off. besides, id rather see them focus on the show, season 6 has a LOT of potential to completely redefine the show and bring it back up to season 1 and 2 standards.

i agree. without the realtime, it feels like the remake of miami vice. Why even call it that. just let the movie stand on its own two feet, right?

oh well. i'll probably see it anyway.

are you guys saying that if they don't make a 24 hour long movie then they shouldn't make it at all?

Actually ... the average length of a season of 24 is about 16 hours.

i hope the give us an intermission, I'm probably going to have to pee at some point.

You can't have it span more than a day and call it 24. Unless it's, you know, 24 days or something ..

Nothing to do with the movie, but enjoy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxzovLECtGc

Now we have something else to keep track of next year.

I bet that's it.

i think they shouldnt make it period and should focus on the strained storylines on the show. season 5 was the worst written season imo, and i think that if they start working on a movie, it'll only be downhill from there.

They already plan a season 7? Wow. They should def think about changing the location for a season, L.A. gets boring. The movie sounds ok, would be cool if they use it as a pre-quel to a season 7 or something.

if it's not in realtime it shouldn't be called 24 anymore it should have some spin off name.

this just can't be good. i LOVE 24...the first 4 seasons anyway. 5 was a big "meh" imo. but yeah, i agree with people who said it would end up as just another action movie. they really need to work on having season 6 hitting on an emotional as well as action packed and exciting level. like the glorious seasons of yesteryear.

oh, and i just can't wait until we find out tony isn't dead. that's what i'm looking forward to.

According to news I read in the TV Guide, the movie is going to take place over only one day.

It will also be a GLOBAL event, taking place all over the world.