Steve Pink's Fletch Won featuring Joshua Jackson

[squints]

touche

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"Fletch" lives as "Scrubs" duo eye comedy revival

The creator of "Scrubs" is writing and directing a prequel to the '80s feature franchise "Fletch," and if he has his way, the show's star Zach Braff will take over Chevy Chase's title role.

The Weinstein Co. has signed Bill Lawrence to adapt Gregory Mcdonald's 1985 comic-mystery novel "Fletch Won," which follows the irreverent detective from his early days as a ne'er-do-well junior newspaper reporter to his partnership with a crime reporter to solve a murder.

Mcdonald's best-sellers were brought to the screen in 1985's "Fletch" and 1989's "Fletch Lives."

"Zach is perfect for the role," Lawrence said in an interview from his Los Angeles office, where Braff sat laughing in the background. "I'm going to use all my pull trying to make him do it."

Filming is expected to start in April once the current season of "Scrubs" completes filming. No cast members have been signed yet.

Braff helped bring Lawrence on board by suggesting his boss to Weinstein principal Harvey Weinstein, leading to talks between the pair over the past six months.

"Zach knows I can recite the original 'Fletch' movie line for line," said Lawrence, who also has read all of Mcdonald's "Fletch" novels.

The director is well aware of the cult surrounding the books and films, which seems to weigh heavily on him. "My closest friends from high school don't care about my career," he said. "This is the only job I've ever gotten where every one of them said, 'Congratulations,' and then said, 'Don't f--- it up."'

Lawrence plans to make his "Fletch" with a bit more edge. "There were definitely broader, sketchier parts in the earlier films," he said. "I'd compare this one more to 'Beverly Hills Cop,' where there was a sense of real jeopardy. Like 'Batman Begins,' I (also) think people will enjoy seeing how Irwin Fletcher became Fletch."

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Will J.D be the new Fletch?
Source: MovieHole

He's the favourite for the role, and his "Scrubs" boss is writing and directing the film – but still, Zach Braff isn't signed to play the younger embodiment of 'Fletch' (the character Chevy Chase played in two "Fletch" comedies in the 1980s) in the long-gestating film, "Fletch Won". A case of an 'inkless pen' or something much more political?

Talking to IESB, Braff says that he has had discussions about the role – something we know, because the original writer/director Kevin Smith announced a while back that he was talking to Braff about the part – but as yet, he still hasn't been signed.

"No. I am not definitely doing Fletch Won, I am thinking about it but I am not definitely signed on", says the star of TVs "Scrubs".

So what gives? Braff would be sensational in the role, and it would be magic seeing Bill Lawrence and Braff doing something on the big screen together – knowing how much magic they've summoned up on the small screen. One could assume - and it probably isn't a far off-field remark - and say that it's the studio that's reluctant to cast Braff – well, at least until they see how his new film ("The Last Kiss") does at the box office. Lawrence wants Braff – we know that, he's told the trades just that. Braff wants the film (don't read into that 'I am thinking about it' line, that's just a publicist trick). But just as Kevin Smith had so much trouble trying to convince the studio that Jason Lee ("My Name is Earl") was the right man for the movie, Lawrence is no doubt having a similar battle getting Braff officialised.

Let's hope Bob and Harvey Weinstein are forwarded a couple of box sets of "Scrubs" over the next couple of weeks, and discover for themselves why Zach Braff should be the new Fletch.

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Finally Fletch Won Has A Director and A Star!             
 
The IESB was informed yesterday by a close studio source that a director and a star had been signed on for the Fletch Won prequel long in the making. We waited to post until today in order to double check a few things.

Here's the jist. Steve Pink will be taking the helm with Joshua Jackson set to star in the role made famous by Chevy Chase.

Steve Pink was behind the Justin Long college comedy Accepted in 2006 and wrote the screenplays for both John Cusack flicks Grosse Pointe Blank and High Fidelity.

Joshua Jackson was last seen in Emilio Estevez' Bobby but is most known for his role as Pacey opposite Mrs. Tom Cruise in Dawson's Creek. Jackson has been rumored for a few weeks on the IMDB boards, but now there are indications that it's official.

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.

Fletch Won has been wallowing in development hell for years with past attachments of Kevin Smith, Jason Lee, Zack Braff, Bill Lawrence and many more.

The role was made popular by not ready for primetime player Chevy Chase back in the '80's.

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no thanks.

[Stefen]

This is the Indy 4 of comedies.

[Pubrick]

that makes kevin smith the frank darabont of the fletch series.

[tpfkabi]

interesting. i've liked Joshua Jackson (in a strictly hetero sense) for quite awhile. he was essentially the 'han solo' on Dawson's Creek, so he might could pull this off quite well. i saw a recent film he did with Keitel, and it looks like he could easily be a Clooney-esque actor - frequently on most handsome lists, loved by the ladies, yet still taking on intellectual projects and/or working with serious directors most of the time.