When Kevin Smith stated he was mulling over an update of Michael Ritchie’s Fletch flicks, he mentioned My Name Is Earl star Jason Lee as a possible candidate to fill the lead role. Frankly, we were dribbling with anticipation.
Smith bailed when Scrubs star Zach Braff was touted as a more suitable choice to slip into the various guises of the LA reporter-turned-tec and since The Weinstein Company announced Scrubs creator Bill Lawrence as their writer/helmer, it seems the door is wide open and Braff is set to leap through it.
“Zach is perfect for the role,” a jubilant Lawrence told IESB.com. “I'm going to use all my pull trying to make him do it.”
Based on the novels by Greg McDonald, the comic tale follows a reporter for an LA newspaper, who has a habit of getting involved in dodgy situations and a knack for disguises. Director Michael Ritchie handled megaphone duties on two Fletch films in the ‘80s – Fletch and Fletch Lives, both starring Chevy Chase as the charming but slightly hapless hack. Lawrence’s take on the story will be called Fletch Won.
“The coolest thing about the 'Fletch Won' book is that it's an origin story. Like Batman Begins, I think people will enjoy seeing how Irwin Fletcher became Fletch. Not only can I recite the original 'Fletch' movie line for line, I actually read all the Greg Mcdonald books as a kid. Consider me obsessed, - I'm going to try as hard as I can not to screw this up.”
When IESB caught up with Braff, they put him on the spot about Fletch but the star wouldn’t budge.
“No I am not definitely doing Fletch Won, I am thinking about it but I am not definitely signed on.”
For the love of god, somebody hand the man a pen…
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