Chevy Chase's Irwin "Fletch" Fletcher became an inspirational comedy figure back in the 1980s, especially in 1985's eponymous first film. Various attempts to bring the character back have been floated in recent years, and now it's Jon Hamm's turn to take a crack at the character.
This version will draw from the same source material – Gregory McDonald's novels about the fast-talking, disguise-loving, alter-ego-adopting reporter who is constantly dragged into mysteries. Whatever the new film is titled, it'll be based on the second book in the Mcdonald series, Confess, Fletch. In a mysterious chain of wild events, Fletch finds himself in the middle of multiple murders - one of which pins him as a prime suspect. While on a quest to prove his innocence, Fletch is tasked with finding his fiancée’s stolen art collection, the only inheritance she’s acquired after her father goes missing and is presumed dead.
Superbad's Greg Mottola is on to direct, while Zev Borrow will write the script, and Hamm is producing alongside his manager, Connie Tavel. Can he offer the same mix of screwball comedy and quick quippery that Chase delivered? He's certainly got comedy chops, but we'll wait and see if he makes it further than previous efforts from Zach Braff and Kevin Smith.