'Fletch' still MIA

Posted Friday, April 27, 2007 at 6:29 PM Central

by John Couture

Perhaps the world really is better when it's according to Kevin Smith. You might remember back a few years ago that Smith was attached to Fletch Won, you know, back in the days when Max and Harvey Weinstein still worked for Miramax.

Well, back then, the main sticking point was casting the lead role. Go figure, apparently it's troublesome to fill Chevy Chase's shoes. Smith was resolute in his desire to put Jason Lee in the title role, while the Weinsteins wanted a bigger name.

Fast forward a few years and the Weinsteins now have their own company and are desperately looking for that first breakthrough hit from their new shingle. Enter Scrubs creator Bill Lawrence as director and star Zach Braff in the title role. At least until a day or so ago.

Now, Braff is too busy and is pulling out of the role and it's back to square one. In the interim however, Jason Lee has found stardom through his TV series My Name Is Earl and now becomes the front-runner to the role that Kevin Smith fought so hard for back in the day.

Hollywood is a funny place.