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After many decades in development hell, an attempt at the third incarnation of Fletch is finally ready to hit the screens. While many of the younger generations may struggle to wrap their heads around just how big the original Fletch movie was, kids who grew up in the late 80s know how much of a big deal this was. With the iconic Chevy Chase in the titular role, Fletch gained a cult following after it was named among the top 50 top-grossing domestic films in its first year of release.
Based on Gregory McDonald's popular Fletch novels, the first of the Fletch films was released in 1985 and centered around Chase as Irwin "Fletch" Fletcher, an investigative reporter who gets entangled with a dubious business executive who wants him to frame his death. In the second installment, Fletch Lives, released in 1989, the story follows the lead character Fletch who is also a reporter, this time trying to figure out who's trying to kill him for his 80-acre (32 ha) plantation inheritance. The upcoming Fletch film will be directed by Superbad maker Greg Mottola with Jon Hamm doubling as producer and lead actor. Here are all the details about the plot, cast, filming, and everything else that has been revealed so far about the upcoming comedy mystery film.
Editor's Note: This piece was updated on September 5, to include the trailer.
Is There A Trailer For Confess, Fletch?
The trailer for Confess, Fletch dropped online on August 25, 2022. The trailer gives us a good sense of what Jon Hamm's portrayal of the iconic character will be like as well as the film's central mystery and sense of humor, giving a more 21st Century take on the character.
When Is Confess, Fletch Releasing?
The worldwide distribution rights for Confess Fletch were licensed to Paramount Global Content Distribution by the production company Miramax. The film will have a limited theatrical run which will begin on September 16, 2022. The film will be made available on premium video-on-demand services on September 16, 2022, before eventually becoming an exclusive title for Showtime. Confess Fletch will arrive on the premium cable network and its streaming platform on October 28, 2022.
Fans might be wondering why Confess Fletch will not have a standard theatrical release, this might be because Miramax has doubts over how commercially viable the film will be in 2022. The first two Fletch films were hugely successful, with the first making close to $60 million worldwide at the time. It ranked No. 9 in the top 10 movies of the year with $50.6M in the US. The second film Fletch Lives grossed $39.4 worldwide. Bearing this in mind, it does make sense to release the film in theaters and on VOD for their target audiences, then make it exclusively available on a streaming platform exclusively for a wider viewer base.
Who Is In The Cast Of Confess, Fletch?
The Golden Globe and the Primetime Emmy Award-winning actor Jon Hamm will play Fletch. Given the pedigree of previous titular characters, Ham has got the presence and charisma required to pull this off. He is well known for his long-running role as the enigmatic Don Draper on Mad Men. He played Walter Prime in the science-fiction film Marjorie Prime and Mason Skiles in the political thriller Beirut. His other film credits include Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp, Bridesmaids, Baby Driver, and more recently Top Gun: Maverick.
Roy Wood Jr. plays Detective Monroe. Wood, a comedian, and radio personality appeared on the TBS sitcom Sullivan & Son between 2011 and 2014. He has appeared in the following TV Series, Better Call Saul, The Detour, and Only Murders in the Building.
Marcia Gay Harden will also be on the cast of Confess Fletch. Her character is still unknown. Harden had her breakthrough film in the 1990 film Miller's Crossing. She is popular for her role as FBI Special Agent Dana Lewis in the crime drama series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. She played Grace Trevelyan Grey in Fifty Shades of Grey. Her other movie credits include Get A Job, Point Blank, and After Words.
Kyle MacLachlan will be on the cast of Confess Fletch. MacLachlan is popular for his role as Jeffrey Beaumont in Blue Velvet and Cliff Vandercave in The Flintstones. His other film credits include Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me, The House with a Clock in Its Walls, Tesla, and the biographical drama Capone.
Other members of the cast of Confess, Fletch are Lorenza Izzo, John Slattery, Annie Mumolo, Anna Osceola, Ayden Mayeri, Erica McDermott, Levon Panek, Owen Burke, Shawn Fitzgibbon, Noel Ramos, John Behlmann, Omar Ghonim, Domenic Arduino, Gene Amoroso, Marilyn Swick, Jeff Bouffard, Liz Cameron, Devan Summers, Marina Re, Steve Bertorelli, and Ian Dylan Hunt.
What Is Confess, Fletch About?
Based on Gregory McDonald's second Fletch novel of the same name, the plot follows Fletch’s career as an investigative journalist. This time he finds himself in hot water while investigating the thieves of his girlfriend's art collection. In a twist of events he is accused of murder and to exonerate himself, he embarks on an investigation of his own and soon realizes that a lot of people might be guilty including his girlfriend. This investigation will entail infiltrating a sailing club and putting his life at risk. While all this might seem like a very serious expedition, you can count on Fletch to sprinkle some much-needed hilarity and banter into this adventure.
The official synopsis reads:
In this delightful comedy romp, Jon Hamm stars as the roguishly charming and endlessly troublesome Fletch, who becomes the prime suspect in a murder case while searching for a stolen art collection. The only way to prove his innocence? Find out which of the long list of suspects is the culprit - from the eccentric art dealer and a missing playboy to a crazy neighbor and Fletch’s Italian girlfriend. Crime, in fact, has never been this disorganized.
Who Is Making Confess, Fletch?
For nearly two decades, attempts at a third remake of Fletch have come up short. At least four studios have tried in this period to push the project without making any headway. Ryan Reynolds, Jason Lee, Ben Affleck, Zach Braff, Joshua Jackson, Jason Sudeikis, and Chevy Chase have been approached to work on the project with little success. Chasing Army director Kevin Smith attempted in 1997 to get a third bite at the Fletch cherry and despite meetings with Universal executive Stacey Snider, nothing materialized. At the turn of the millennium, internal wrangling between studios hampered chances for a Fletch reboot. Finally, in 2020 Miramax announced that Keeping Up with the Joneses director Greg Mottola had been drafted to work on Confess, Fletch. Lead actor Jon Hamm will be joined by Bill Block and Connie Tavel as producers while Zev Borrow and Greg Mottola are the writers.