Fletch

Fletch is a 1985 American comedy thriller film directed by Michael Ritchie and written by Andrew Bergman. Based on Gregory Mcdonald's popular Fletch novels, the film stars Chevy Chase as the title character. It co-stars Tim Matheson, Dana Wheeler-Nicholson, Geena Davis and Joe Don Baker. The film revolves around Los Angeles Times reporter Irwin M. "Fletch" Fletcher, who is offered a large sum of money by millionaire Alan Stanwyk to kill him; Stanwyk claims to have a terminal cancer prognosis and that suicide would invalidate his life insurance policy. Fletch becomes suspicious when he discovers the man is not ill; when he continues to investigate, his life is threatened. Fletch did well with critics and at the box office—it was among the top 50 grossing domestic films in its first year of release. It was followed by a 1989 sequel, Fletch Lives, also starring Chase. Subsequent decades saw many unsuccessful attempts to restart or reboot the series, until Confess, Fletch, starring Jon Hamm, was released in 2022.