October 03, 2005
Kevin Smith Off of Fletch
Kevin Smith doing the next Fletch film (Fletch Won) has been one of the few projects in development that I've been really excited about. Well... you can take all that excitement, wrap it up in a little ball and flush it, because news is now coming out that Kevin Smith has been ditched from the project by the studio.
This is stupidity in it's pure form. The good folks over at MovieHole give us the reasons the studio made this bone headed move:
"The movie is going to be made, and if all goes as planned should be in production in early '06. Second, and correctly, Kevin Smith is no longer affiliated with the Fletch film as writer or director", says David List, the film's producer, to IMDB and NewsAskew.Dumb dumb dumb. The ONLY reason any of us (or at least most of us) have been buzzing about a new Fletch film is BECAUSE Smith was involved with it. His humour and style are PERFECT for Fletch. I have no idea what these people are smoking, but it must be past it's due date."His type of comedy just isn't 'Fletch'", List says of the vacating writer/director. "It's not that Kevin isn't talented or funny. It's just that his comedic style, ultimately, proved not translate well for "Fletch," at least as I and Harvey felt. Keep an open mind. There's lot's of very funny writers out there".
I have nothing to back this up with... but I'm willing to bet dollars to dimes that the reason this happened is because they couldn't agree on who should get the lead role. (Studio wants Zach Braff and Smith wanted Jason Lee). We may never know. For now... all I know is that this sucks and my anticipation for Fletch has taken a serious hit.
Posted by John Campea at October 3, 2005 01:01 PM
Comments
Posted by: swedishchef at October 3, 2005 02:09 PM
Not a Smith fan and based on his track record and bailing on The Green Hornet, I'm not surprised.
Posted by: Lou_Sytsma at October 3, 2005 02:22 PM
well as said before...kevin knew a long time ago that the studio didn't want Lee as Fletch...so it was kevin himself that started talking about Braff as Fletch...they did meet and talk about the film and Braff wanted to do it...
so Lee not being Fletch is not the reason Kevin is not on board anymore
Posted by: Cabbe at October 3, 2005 03:00 PM
This news doesn't surprise me at all. Thaks to Lou for mentioning 'Green Hornet'. I'll throw in the redo of 'Six Million Dollar Man' in the pot as well. Remember that one?
I don't think Smith gels well with big studios. He gets nice offers, does some work on them, then bails, or, he does good work but cannot work within budget (Superman Lives) - and then he gets a new 'Fletch', which looks promising...and he and the studio have a disagreement, and instead of working things out in collabaration?
He throws in the towel.
Keep an eye on his site viewaskew.
Here's the order:
First is the announcement of the project.
Then comes hype/fanboy love/how he got the gig..
Then comes the bail out.
Then comes the Q &A;'s why it didn't work out.
Then comes the boo-hooing and fingerpointing.
Then the 'fans' get behind him.
Then the cycle begins anew.
Posted by: darren seeley at October 3, 2005 05:40 PM
I hope Kevin Smith can negotiate his way to writing the script for BATMAN BEGINS 2. I thought David Goyer's script for the first one was perhaps the worst part of the movie. IMO Smith can really make the new No-Go Batman (i.e. Nolan-Goyer)a much better franchise by adding the elements BATMAN BEGINS sorely missed--fun and vision.
Posted by: Phil at October 3, 2005 06:58 PM
No offense, but good riddance. Smith's humor was not anywhere near what was sacred to the books, and I never understood his selection.
Posted by: Edward Lee at October 3, 2005 09:32 PM
I heard John Calvin Doyle may direct "Fletch" his style is very much Chevy Chase and original SNL ....who knows Hollywood is small town with Tons of BS
Posted by: m&mpop; at October 4, 2005 09:59 AM
This is a wonderful suspense film, "wild at Heart" meets Pulp Fiction . John Calvin Doyle and his grueling perfectionism have opened the door to a new domain. Obvious is boring, and this film is not obvious.
# posted by savannah @ 8:01 PM
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Posted by: Jody at October 4, 2005 01:48 PM
I can't believe it, my co-worker just bought a car for $16804. Isn't that crazy!
Posted by: Betsy Markum at January 6, 2006 12:11 PM
The only thing worse than having Smith taken off the film is the prospect of Braff playing Fletch! I've now gone from anticipation, to reservation, to outright 'this is gonna be a piece of shit I will never watch!"