Steve Pink's Fletch Won featuring Joshua Jackson

[kotte]

Fletch Won tells the story of a young Fletch on his first story. When the man Fletch is about to interview turns up dead, Fletch takes it upon himself to figure out who killed him.


I'm just getting into Smith's style...

From the synopsis it seems to take a step back from Jersey Girl...not quality wise but...I don't know. It would be nice if he left the askewniverse...

[Raikus]

It would be nice if he left the askewniverse...

What makes you think he hasn't? As far as I understand it, with the exception of some Clerks Animated, he's left that continuity behind.

[Banky]

Jason Lee not cast as Fletch
Vanilla Sky actor Jason Lee is expecting a son with fiancee Beth Riesgraf . The Chasing Amy star - who announced his engagement to actress Beth back in January - made the revelation in an email to friend and colleague, writer/director Kevin Smith. Lee has been a regular cast member in many of cult maestro Smith's movies - including Mallrats, Dogma and Jay And Silent Bob Strike Back. Smith's website Newsaskew.Com yesterday published an email from Lee in response to the news that he will not be taking on the role of Fletch in Smith's upcoming movie Fletch Won , after studio Miramax decided they wanted a bigger-named star. But, aside from explaining that he doesn't mind being passed over for the lead role, Lee says he's looking forward to the more important role of fatherhood. He writes, "I understand how a company like Miramax works, and quite frankly I don't feel like fighting them for a project that I probably don't feel as passionate about now as I did 2 years ago... It also has a lot to do with the fact that I've started (company) Stereo Skateboards again, am having a son, am planning on finally directing (my script) next year, and have grown pretty fond of smaller movies. New experiences, different experiences."

Fletch Won Summary

It's Fletch's first case. As a rookie reporter for the News-Tribune, he's been covering all the routine stories no one else wants. With his already slightly skewed view of the world the young Fletch only manages to get himself and the paper into trouble -more trouble than his boss thinks he's worth. As a last chance, he's assigned to the society page to cover the story of Donald Habeck, a wealthy criminal lawyer who wants to donate $6 million to the local art museum.
It's a simple public relations feature - until Habeck turns up dead in the parking lot of the News-Tribune and Fletch gets the opportunity he's been waiting for.

Digging into the case, Fletch turns up a glut of suspects. First there is Habeck's unhappy family; the certifiably crazy wife, an impoverished daughter, an avant-garde Poet of Violence, and the son who despised the old man so much he became a monk. Then there are Habeck's former clients, including a convicted child molester just out of prison and a man who once faced a murder rap and now confesses to every violent crime in the city. And underneath it all, there's a nagging, unanswered question: Why would Habeck, a man who made a fortune keeping society's lowest out of prison, suddenly become a do-good philanthropist?

As Fletch outruns the cops, the crime reporter of the News-Tribune, the seductive hostess of the Ben Franklyn Friend Service (more than just an escort aganecy), a refugee from the federal Witness Protection program, and his own fiancee, he finally stumbles across the clue that can break the case wide open -and launch his legendary career

Here's what Fletch author/creator Gregory McDonald thinks of Kevin's Fletch script according to Laker Jim's Fletch Won website:

"I've read the first draft of Kevin Smith's FLETCH WON. It's great. He's following the novel as precisely as the film medium allows. No Jane Doe, fright wig, funny-teeth crap. Instead there is the fun bod play inherent in Fletch character. All most every line has a snap to it. If produced as he is writing it, Kevin's film of FLETCH WON may be described as "the movie with the snappiest dialogue - ever." Regarding the interminable raging discussion as to what actor will play Fletch, lately I have heard Ryan Reynolds' name mentioned as having the look, the playfulness, the freshness coupled with the experience to play Fletch; I've heard nothing of his availability..."

Mirimax and Kevin


Miramax Films has decided to renew with View Askew, extending the studio's first-look alliance with writer-director Kevin Smith and his producing partner, Scott Mosier.

Smith, a cornerstone director for both Miramax chief Harvey Weinstein and Dimension topper Bob Weinstein, has committed to direct "Fletch One" for Miramax, followed by the sci-fi adventure "Ranger Danger and the Danger Rangers" for Dimension.

"It seemed a good idea to treat the brothers fairly," said Smith, whose next Miramax pic, "Jersey Girl," has been reslotted from a Nov. 7 release to March 19. Originally the intent was to steer clear of "The Matrix Revolutions," but Smith now is glad to be clear of "Gigli," since his film stars Ben Affleck and includes a romance with Jennifer Lopez.

Smith has completed the first draft of "Fletch One." The pic will continue the exploits of the journalist-mystery solving character played in two films by Chevy Chase. But in much the same way that early Elmore Leonard adaptations barely resembled the author's prose until Scott Frank adapted "Get Shorty" and "Out of Sight," Smith promised a close adherence to the distinctive dialogue and plotting that McDonald put into his novel series.

Chevy detour

"The other 'Fletch' films were Chevy vehicles with a Lakers fetish," said Smith. "We've taken an early novel where the author told the origin of how Fletch got his job on a newspaper. It will stick much closer to McDonald's brilliant dialogue and great characters, and the model for this film is 'Out of Sight.' Though these actors know nothing about this, I've worked down to a short list of Ben Affleck, Brad Pitt, Will Smith, Jimmy Fallon and Adam Sandler for the role of Fletch."

Shooting will begin in January.

After that it's "Ranger Danger" for Dimension, which Smith describes as "my stab at a comicbook/sci-fi movie. It's in the vein of 'Flash Gordon,' something I've noodled with a couple of years. Now I feel we are mature enough filmmakers to tackle it." Smith hopes to shoot that pic while "Fletch One" is in post-production. Shooting will begin in fall 2004.

Smith's longtime partner Mosier will sit out the "Fletch" film but rejoin on "Ranger Danger

[A Fire Inside]

I've been looking forward to this one for a while now.

[kotte]

It would be nice if he left the askewniverse...

What makes you think he hasn't? As far as I understand it, with the exception of some Clerks Animated, he's left that continuity behind.

Clerks, Chasing Amy, Jay & Silent Bob Strikes Back...all in this
universe.

[Banky]

It would be nice if he left the askewniverse...

What makes you think he hasn't? As far as I understand it, with the exception of some Clerks Animated, he's left that continuity behind.

Clerks, Chasing Amy, Jay & Silent Bob Strikes Back...all in this
universe.

what the hell does that mean?

[Raikus]

Clerks, Chasing Amy, Jay & Silent Bob Strikes Back...all in this universe.

Fletch was around decades before any of his movies, so how is Fletch Won going to be in the Askewniverse?

If by being a completely different story (not written by Smith), containing no cameos of any characters in his previous movies, and not taking place in New Jersey you mean in the same universe than you would be right.

Otherwise, you would be wrong.

[Banky]

yeah the fact that Fletch won and JG are not in the View Askewniverse is pretty obvious.  He also has a movie called Ranger Danger that might or might not be in the skewniverse

[kotte]

I'm just saying I don't want Fletch to run into Jay, Holden or Silent Bob...and I don't want him to get gum from the store.

But yeah..It'll probably be outside of that world...

[Banky]

its not really probably, he is sticking very strictly to the book and in no way will it have anything to do with story or characters from his previous work

[Pas]

If by being a completely different story (not written by Smith), containing no cameos of any characters in his previous movies, and not taking place in New Jersey you mean in the same universe than you would be right.

Hahahaha great.

Maybe Kotte doesn't know this a new entry in the Fletch franchise... anyway, I look forward to this and I wish Lee had gotten the role.

[modage]

McDonald and Smith talk Fletch Won
Source: Moviehole Fri, 1-Jul-2005

The boys are taking the proposed "Fletch Won" with them, it seems, when they clear their desks and unhook their block-mounted Vincent Perez posters from the wall when they leave.

Talking to the Fletch Won website, "Fletch" author Gregory McDonald says the prequel film - set to star Zach Braff as a younger incarnation of the character previously played by Chevy Chase - is still a priority for the Weinsteins.

"I am extremely pleased to tell you that Harvey Weinstein is as good as his word. Since his return from Cannes he has had many conversations regarding FLETCH, with us and others, some quite forceful. He has
uttered many gracious assertions, recommitted himself to the FLETCH project significantly and in various ways, and states he is "fully and permanently devoted to and focused on the Fletch film franchise." To my delight finally he seems to be bringing his own huge energy, talents,
creativity to something we all care about so much."

Writer Kevin Smith also chatted recently about the film, telling About.com that Zach Braff's as good as in as the younger Irwin.

"I guess. It depends. Hopefully, yeah, he's in. We met, chatted about it. I got to get him a current draft of the script after I do some more work on it, bring the page count down a little bit. But he'd be a great choice and that's who everyone's leaning towards", he said.

"He's [Braff] kind of deft with a subtle comedic performance which is what the movie calls for. It's not overt like the first two Fletch movies. It's closer to the book and the books are closer to an Elmore Leonard type of thing. Whenever I think about Fletch Won, or my version of it, the version I want to do, it feels to me like Out of Sight, the Soderbergh version of the Elmore Leonard book. The first two Fletch movies, and one of which I absolutely love, is far more broad and involves a lot more physical comedy."

Did the book give him any plot points? "Yeah, I did not depart from the book much at all because the book is such an amazing road map. I've always been a big fan of the book so I tried not to stray as much as possible. So it was a pretty easy adaptation. I mean, the mystery was there. It was something that I felt like I love the source material so I want to honor the source material while sticking to it as closely as possible."

And what about the original 'Fletch', Mr Chevy Chase, will he be involved? "Since it's kind of a year one story, for the version I want to do which is close to the book, there'd be no place for Chevy Chase just because it's a story about how Fletch first got his job on the paper. So he has to be much younger. So no. I haven't spoken to Chevy Chase about it or reached out to Chevy Chase. I don't think Chevy Chase likes me anyway which is fine. The feeling's mutual".

[72teeth]

from imdb:

Smith Reportedly Quits 'Fletch' Film

Cult movie maker Kevin Smith has reportedly quit the planned Fletch Won film after spending years fighting for pal Jason Lee to play the reporter created in the 1980s by Chevy Chase. The Clerks director's decision to walk away from his labor of love comes after a spat with producer David List, according to film gossip website MovieHole.net. List tells the site, "Kevin Smith is no longer affiliated with the Fletch film as writer or director. His type of comedy just isn't Fletch. The movie is going to be made, and, if all goes as planned, should be in production in early 2006." List insists Smith's departure was amicable. Garden State star Zach Braff has long been a favorite of producers to play the lead character in the long-awaited follow up to 1989 movie Fletch Lives. Meanwhile, List claims funnyman Chase is being targeted for a cameo appearance in the new Fletch film. The producer adds, "I think it would be great. I think everyone will welcome his being a part of it."

[cine]

i guess Smith wasnt feeling Listy.

[72teeth]

...or maybe he relized he was making Fletch Won, the second sequel to a movie made 20 years ago...