For several decades, Hollywood executives unsuccessfully tried to make a new movie featuring Irwin “Fletch” Fletcher, the investigative reporter made famous by Chevy Chase in 1985’s Fletch. Many actors were considered for the lead role during that time, including Ryan Reynolds, Zach Braff, Joshua Jackson, and even Chase himself. “There’s not an actor that’s ever said anything funny that hasn’t been talked about,” said David List, the former manager of Gregory Mcdonald, whose 1974 novel Fletch served as the basis for the original film. “One executive said, ‘Why don’t we write the role female and go to Ellen DeGeneres?’”
In 1997, Clerks director Kevin Smith pitched an idea to Universal Studios based on Mcdonald’s 1993 novel Son of Fletch. The plan was to have Chase reprise his role as the titular reporter alongside Jason Lee and Joey Lauren Adams. By 1999, Smith was busy with Dogma and told Universal that he wouldn’t be able to move forward with the sequel. Chase wasn’t happy with his decision and bad-mouthed Smith to the New York Post, telling them, “He promised to write a Fletch for two years, but never called me. Then, after two years, he told a friend he wasn’t going to do it. It’s Hollywood-type crap treatment, so rude.”
The following year, List informed Smith that Universal had let the rights to Fletch lapse. Harvey Weinstein jumped on the opportunity, and Smith soon found himself writing what he called “an insanely-faithful-to-the-book Fletch Won script.” Smith wanted Jason Lee to star, but Weinstein wasn’t having it. Fast-forward to 2003, when Weinstein offered Ben Affleck $10 million to play the lead.
According to Smith, Affleck liked the script, and there was a two-week period where the film was almost rushed into production. However, in the end, “Ben mercifully passed.” After Lee’s sitcom My Name Is Earl blew up, Smith again tried to convince Weinstein to cast him as Fletch, but was told that he still wasn’t big enough. Everyone from Dave Chappelle to Chris Tucker to Justin Long was suggested from there. Yet, somehow, with all the money that was on the table, Fletch Won never materialized.
The series wouldn’t return to the big screen until Confess, Fletch, starring Jon Hamm, was released in 2022.
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