Lovers of the Fletch franchise might need to soothe their disappointment with a hearty steak sandwich or two, as Greg Mottola, the visionary behind the 2022 hit 'Confess, Fletch,' has taken to social media to reveal a heartbreaking update about the fate of his anticipated sequel starring the suave Jon Hamm as the iconic Irwin "Fletch" Fletcher.
Steeped in the nostalgia of author Gregory McDonald's beloved novel series and brought to life by Chevy Chase in the iconic 1985 comedy and its sequel, Mottola's Miramax-backed film served as a refreshing reboot for the charismatic character.
But as film critic Bilge Ebiri rallied support on X (formerly Twitter) for more Fletch adventures, Mottola reluctantly announced that the sequel to 'Confess, Fletch' had hit a dead end. Citing a shakeup in leadership at Miramax, the director lamented, "The new captain at the helm, who holds the reins to the literary treasure trove, has quashed my sequel aspirations. The Fletch curse strikes again!"
Elaborating further, Mottola, renowned for his comedic prowess in 'Superbad,' shared, "I was informed that 'the first one didn't turn a profit'—as if making money was ever the priority. Jon Hamm was thoroughly invested in the new script, and I've been understandably downcast. Finding a silver lining in the feature film world these days seems harder than ever."
At the helm of Miramax now stands CEO Jonathan Glickman, who succeeded Bill Block towards the end of last year. According to Mottola, this change of command dealt a significant blow to the sequel's prospects. "Bad timing for me, as Bill Block's departure spelled doom," he wrote, adding, "I found myself caught in the crossfire of a regime change, and my comedic style—dry and unsentimental—just wasn't the flavor of the new rulers."
After a keen social media observer pointed out the film's underwhelming performance at the box office, Mottola concurred while voicing his discontent with its marketing approach. "Indeed, they hastily released it in theaters for a fleeting week, sans any substantial marketing efforts, only to shunt it onto Showtime with barely a whisper of promotion, either on billboards or commercials," he penned, lamenting, "In essence, it was destined to be a streaming-bound film." Moreover, he sighed over the current state of feature comedies, remarking that they were indeed facing tumultuous times.
An insider privy to the matter confided to The Hollywood Reporter that Miramax had graciously extended an olive branch, allowing the filmmakers to explore sequel possibilities elsewhere. However, this window of opportunity to shop around the project has now regrettably closed.
Earlier this spring, Hamm shared with THR his eagerness to reprise his role but admitted that the future looked uncertain. Centered around his character's predicament of being falsely accused of murder amidst a thrilling hunt for missing art, 'Confess, Fletch' boasted an impressive cast, including John Slattery, Roy Wood Jr., and Marcia Gay Harden.
"We're striving to create another installment, but it's proving to be a formidable task," Hamm elaborated, acknowledging, "The film may not have shattered box office records, but that's not the sole measure of success." When probed about the sequel's script, he enthusiastically divulged, "It's in place, and we have a treasure trove of ten books to guide us. Can we embark on this journey? Please?" His words painted a picture of eager anticipation amidst the challenges faced.
