Kiefer Sutherland drama still expected to premiere in January

The producers of FOX's "24" are having a hard time getting this season's clock started.

For the second time this summer the production start date for the seventh season of "24" has been pushed back due to creative tinkering.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, shooting on the new "24" season was expected to begin on Aug. 27, but is being moved to Sept. 10 as writers scramble to complete a certain number of scripts.

At Comic-Con last month, producers admitted that the season's initial storyline -- rumored to take place largely in Africa -- fell through, a decision that initially moved the show's production start from late July to late August.

At the fan convention, the show's team admitted that they were attempting to correct some of the problems that plagued the lackluster sixth season of the Kiefer Sutherland-centric drama, specifically the repetition of certain season-to-season plot elements. The biggest change revealed at the time was that Los Angeles would no long be the center of the "24" action, with most events moving to Washington, D.C. In addition, the season would take place without CTU, at least not as an official government-sanctioned agency. It's unclear if those plans are still in the cards.

By this time last year, "24" was announcing guest stars at a rate of two or three a week, but the only new cast member announced so far has been Cherry Jones, playing the president of the United States.

As of now, "24" is still on target for its scheduled January premiere.