Fletch Won (1 Viewer)

I was watching Fletch on DVD recently and I remebered there is a planned prequel in the works. I would like for them to get Chevy Chase to be in it but if they can't I think Jason Lee would be a good also but than it occured to me that maybe even Jack Black could be quite good for the part. So has anyone heard anything new about this project?.


-Mike

Ive read some of the fletch books and while the films were mildly amusing they dont really represent the tone of the books. The books are much darker and fletch is much less sympathetic. Hes a true womanizer, and behaves in countless morally questionable ways. At one point he even throws his exgirlfriends' kitten out an open window to its death for amusment. imagine how that would play onscreen? He has sex with underage runaways, and when they turn up dead he barely bats an eye. he's a talented investigative reporter, but he can often also be a pretty slimy dirtball, and the chevy chase movies toned much of that down. I think Kevin Smith may try and go back to the roots, and make a truer adaptation. i think Jason Lee is near perfect as he looks alot like fletch is described and also embodies the stoner vibe, the sense of humor, the intelligence, and the mildly sociopathic nastiness of the true fletch.

Miramax won't let Smith use Lee. Smith used to say he wouldn't do the movie without Lee but Miramax was really adamant about not using him due to the fact that pretty much every movie he's been in has been a huge flop. Smith posted a list of other possibilities. Off the top of my head I believe they were Will Smith, Adam Sandler, Jimmy Fallon and Ben Affleck. I personally think it's weak that he's even considering doing it without Lee. In any case, it's been put on the back burner yet again so Smith can do "The Green Hornet". Maybe "Hornet" will be a success and Smith can use it to get Lee in "Fletch Won" after all.

I don't think that's the reason. More that Lee isn't a bankable (no pun intended) name. Course, they somehow think Ben Affleck is leading man material and people would want to pay to just see him.

I have a feeling that how well Smith does with Green Hornet will decide if Flech Won will get made.

I'd like to see it. The way Fletch is in the books, Lee will rule that role.

Jason

I agree that Jason Lee is perfect for the part. I love the "Fletch" books, but I'm no Kevin Smith fan. At all. However, the casting of Jason Lee would get me into the theater.

i hope there joking about will smith as fletch. I cant imagine worst casting short of casting ...well on second thought, i cant think of anyone more inappropriate.

And maybe if some of Lee's current work is successfull it might help his chances.
From Imdb:

Drop Dead Sexy (2004) (pre-production) .... Frank

West Memphis Three (2004) (filming)

Incredibles, The (2004) (filming) (voice) .... Syndrome/Incrediboy

Rose and the Snake (2004) (post-production)

Jersey Girl (2004) (completed) .... PR Exec #1

One of the other names that Kevin was bandying around was Brad Pitt. And honestly, if Smith can get him, Pitt would probably be the best choice (well, on par with Lee). He fits the chatacter (Fletch being blond and rather laid back in the books). I can easily see him as the character described by Chris above. Fight Club, 12 Monkeys, True Romance, Oceans 11 were all good jobs and if combined are pretty close to Irwin M. Fletcher.

Course the sh*tstorm of !SELLOUT! arguments that Smith would have to field from rabit Smithites might push him away from Pitt.

I wouldn't think of Smith as a sellout for casting Pitt. If there's anything that makes him a sellout, it's the fact that he promised to do "Fletch Won" with Lee or not at all for a few years and all of a sudden he's ready to do it without him. That's weak.

On the other side, when Lee heard of Miramax's less than enuthiastic feel on him, he also said he wasn't all that excited about doing the movie anyway. He liked the idea of working with Kevin, but the idea of the studio politics and stuff that goes with making big movies has turned him off, big time.

-V

Some rumblings: http://www.zap2it.com/movies/news/za...,4474205.story
Huge Scrubs fan here so this sounds pretty good to me.

Color me optimistic too. Lest we not forget that Bill Lawrence also a big part of Spin City, another great show. As for Zach Braff as Fletch, I really think it could work.

-Andy

I half-expected Lee's newfound success with My Name Is Earl to help him land the role.

Anyway, speaking of the books, I've always wondered why Chevy Chase never made a sequel based on any of them. I've always felt that Fletch's Fortune would've been ideal for his personality, especially the scenes where he tangles with the IRS.

Can't believe Ryan Reynolds hasn't been mentioned.

Well, as much as I loved the idea of Lee as Fletch he's definitely too old by this point. He might have been able to pass as a 20-year-old way back when this project was still announced but by now he's not far from being twice as old as Fletch should be in "Fletch Won" and I don't think he could pass for 20 but I think Braff looks young enough to pull it off.

But the irony is, they gave him an inheritance at the beginning of Fletch Lives anyway. So, I think they could've easily written around the money issue. The opportunity to drop Chase into the midst of high society (ala Caddyshack) also seems like it would've been a no-brainer.

As for Widow Bradley, that's actually one I'd be surprised if they used. The plot twist may have been unique when it was written, but would be fairly obvious to today's audiences.

Wow, Bill, you're quite the authority.

I think they said in an article I read that they would probably redo the movie to resemble the book as it was written.
I love the idea of Braff doing it!