Confess, Fletch: trailer reveals Jon Hamm as the reporter/sleuth

One of the projects I’ve been most intrigued about in recent years has been Greg Mottola’s upcoming Fletch reboot starring Jon Hamm. A few weeks ago, we revealed that the film, Confess, Fletch, would be getting a low-key theatrical/PVOD release on September 16th, before a bow later this year on Showtime (in a similar deal to what happened to Chris Pine’s The Contractor). Just a few weeks before it’s supposed to come out, Miramax has finally delivered a trailer revealing Jon Hamm’s take on the iconic character.

For those not in the know, Fletch is based on a series of books by Gregory McDonald. In the books, Fletch is an investigative journalist who writes under the name Jane Doe. Known for his sense of humor (and – in the movies anyway – his disguises), he typically becomes part of whatever story he’s pursuing. He’s essentially an amateur sleuth in a lot of ways. Two Fletch movies have been made before – both starring Chevy Chase. One of them, 1985’s Fletch, was terrific. The other, 1989’s Fletch Lives, was pretty bad. Since then, many have tried to bring the books back to the big screen, with Kevin Smith having tried for years to get the franchise going again (at one point with Chase himself back in the lead role).

Here’s the official synopsis:

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.

Mottola’s movie seems to have an ideal Fletch in Jon Hamm, and while it’s nice to see him again playing against his Mad Men co-star John Slattery, the trailer seems a little too Knives Out-lite for my taste. I’m not crazy about the description calling it a “delightful comedy romp” either, as even the Chase movies had a little edge. Then again, this does have an R-rating, which neither of the Chase movies did. The film is apparently based pretty closely on McDonald’s novel of the same name, so I expect it to be better than what’s being teased here. One thing they should try to do is work in the iconic theme by Harold Faltermeyer, who’s hot once again post-Top Gun: Maverick. I won’t hold my breath though.The low-key release is disappointing, but hey – blame the marketplace for that. Hamm is a great actor; the part should fit him like a glove.

Confess, Fletch co-stars Roy Wood Jr., Annie Mumolo, Ayden Mayeri, Lorenza Izzo, Kyle MacLachlan and Marcia Gay Harden, and comes out September 16th in theaters, digital and on-demand.

Will you be checking out Confess, Fletch? Let us know in the comments! Check out the poster below, which does a good job recreating the look of McDonald’s Fletch paperbacks.