Does Chevy not want to work? I think he's still genuinely funny and could be a fine character actor at his age now. If it were done well (and that's a pretty big "if") I'd like to see a new Vacation movie with Chevy's on-screen son taking the grandkids to visit Chevy and Beverly D'Angelo. Of course, hijinks ensue.
Posted by Rev. Slappy at September 15, 2008 4:57 PM
Next to Eddie Murphy, this guy must be the biggest waste of comedic talent walking the planet. What's the last funny movie he made? Fletch?
Kevin Smith has a great story of how Chase slagged him after Smith tried to write Chase into the Fletch series relaunch which never happened. (That's a whole other shame because it would been a perfect way for Smith to leave the Askewniverse if only the studio thought a pre-Earl Jason Lee could carry a movie.)
Kevin Smith has a great story of how Chase slagged him after Smith tried to write Chase into the Fletch series relaunch which never happened. (That's a whole other shame because it would been a perfect way for Smith to leave the Askewniverse if only the studio thought a pre-Earl Jason Lee could carry a movie.)
Why did he not want to be part of it?
Posted by Movie fan09 at September 16, 2008 8:44 AM
I'm sure the story is floating around on-line somewhere, but, nutshelled:
Kevin Smith met with (Universal?) and they asked him if they could work with him and he said the only they had that he'd be interested in was Fletch, having been a fan of the novels and the movies. They liked the sound of it, and worked out a deal, and said, "Who do you like for Fletch?" and Smith said, "Well, Chevy Chase, obviously." And Universal thought that was a bad idea. But, for a while, Smith argued it with them [at some point, the idea was floated that they would introduce Lee as the son of Fletch, a sort of torch-passing thing].
Meanwhile, Smith met with Chase. Sometime, if you're in a bookstore, Kevin Smith has a book collecting mostly on-line stuff he wrote... it is seriously worth flipping through and finding the description of their meal together. Suffice it to say, Smith was enthused to work with Chase, but found him a bit insufferable and arrogant, and he also comes off as not at all funny anymore.
If I remember right, at this point, 'Dogma' was in the works, and Smith put the 'Fletch' script aside to work on 'Dogma' [since nothing had actually been formalized anyway]. Universal cooled on the project, and Smith seemed disinterested for a while. I believe that was when Chase started publicly badmouthing him for "Hollywood bullshit" and "bad faith". But that may have come later; some time after that, Miramax bought the rights to the 'Fletch' books for Smith, and Smith wanted to start with a prequel novel dealing with a younger Fletch which, in addition to being the best Fletch book (at least since the first one), would be perfect for Jason Lee. [Chase turned down any thought of doing a cameo.] But Weinstein and Smith argued over whether Lee could carry a movie and, over time, Smith lost interest in the project. As I remember it, Weinstein's list of possible replacements including Jimmy Fallon and Zack Braff and a third person; Smith briefly dabbled with the idea of using Braff before leaving the project. At some point, Bill Lawrence, writer/producer(/director?) on 'Scrubs' was involved in "Fletch Won" starring Braff, but I think Braff may have taken over the project himself at some point. And I think it fell apart *again* now that nobody wants to put Zack Braff in anything.
Posted by Richardson at September 16, 2008 1:06 PM
comment #1
BurmaShave
says ...
The next rehab candidate for Tarantino or Aronofsky?
Posted by BurmaShave
at September 15, 2008 4:14 PM
comment #2
Rev. Slappy
says ...
Does Chevy not want to work? I think he's still genuinely funny and could be a fine character actor at his age now. If it were done well (and that's a pretty big "if") I'd like to see a new Vacation movie with Chevy's on-screen son taking the grandkids to visit Chevy and Beverly D'Angelo. Of course, hijinks ensue.
Posted by Rev. Slappy
at September 15, 2008 4:57 PM
comment #3
dangovich
says ...
"She was born without a tongue, Clark."
Posted by dangovich
at September 15, 2008 5:35 PM
comment #4
D.Z.
says ...
BTW, the Fletch author died a few days ago.
Posted by D.Z.
at September 15, 2008 5:56 PM
comment #5
nelson37
says ...
Chevy Chase. Fuck ever happened to him?
Posted by nelson37
at September 15, 2008 6:04 PM
comment #6
DavidF
says ...
Next to Eddie Murphy, this guy must be the biggest waste of comedic talent walking the planet. What's the last funny movie he made? Fletch?
Kevin Smith has a great story of how Chase slagged him after Smith tried to write Chase into the Fletch series relaunch which never happened. (That's a whole other shame because it would been a perfect way for Smith to leave the Askewniverse if only the studio thought a pre-Earl Jason Lee could carry a movie.)
Posted by DavidF
at September 16, 2008 6:09 AM
comment #7
Movie fan09
says ...
DavidF Author Profile Page says ...
Kevin Smith has a great story of how Chase slagged him after Smith tried to write Chase into the Fletch series relaunch which never happened. (That's a whole other shame because it would been a perfect way for Smith to leave the Askewniverse if only the studio thought a pre-Earl Jason Lee could carry a movie.)
Why did he not want to be part of it?
Posted by Movie fan09
at September 16, 2008 8:44 AM
comment #8
Richardson
says ...
He did want to be a part of it.
I'm sure the story is floating around on-line somewhere, but, nutshelled:
Kevin Smith met with (Universal?) and they asked him if they could work with him and he said the only they had that he'd be interested in was Fletch, having been a fan of the novels and the movies. They liked the sound of it, and worked out a deal, and said, "Who do you like for Fletch?" and Smith said, "Well, Chevy Chase, obviously." And Universal thought that was a bad idea. But, for a while, Smith argued it with them [at some point, the idea was floated that they would introduce Lee as the son of Fletch, a sort of torch-passing thing].
Meanwhile, Smith met with Chase. Sometime, if you're in a bookstore, Kevin Smith has a book collecting mostly on-line stuff he wrote... it is seriously worth flipping through and finding the description of their meal together. Suffice it to say, Smith was enthused to work with Chase, but found him a bit insufferable and arrogant, and he also comes off as not at all funny anymore.
If I remember right, at this point, 'Dogma' was in the works, and Smith put the 'Fletch' script aside to work on 'Dogma' [since nothing had actually been formalized anyway]. Universal cooled on the project, and Smith seemed disinterested for a while. I believe that was when Chase started publicly badmouthing him for "Hollywood bullshit" and "bad faith". But that may have come later; some time after that, Miramax bought the rights to the 'Fletch' books for Smith, and Smith wanted to start with a prequel novel dealing with a younger Fletch which, in addition to being the best Fletch book (at least since the first one), would be perfect for Jason Lee. [Chase turned down any thought of doing a cameo.] But Weinstein and Smith argued over whether Lee could carry a movie and, over time, Smith lost interest in the project. As I remember it, Weinstein's list of possible replacements including Jimmy Fallon and Zack Braff and a third person; Smith briefly dabbled with the idea of using Braff before leaving the project. At some point, Bill Lawrence, writer/producer(/director?) on 'Scrubs' was involved in "Fletch Won" starring Braff, but I think Braff may have taken over the project himself at some point. And I think it fell apart *again* now that nobody wants to put Zack Braff in anything.
Posted by Richardson
at September 16, 2008 1:06 PM
comment #9
rr3333
says ...
Worst case of a washed up actor who still thinks he's hot shit long after his expiration date.
I only liked Chevy in 1 movie. Kill me for it. Foul Play. Great, fun flick.
Posted by rr3333
at September 16, 2008 3:00 PM