For a while there, it looked like we would soon be seeing a new Fletch on the big screen, whether we liked the idea or not. However, soon enough, it looked like an all-out mess, with names popping up and disappearing over and over again, from Kevin Smith to John Krasinski. Back in June of last year, word had it that the role would be taken over by Joshua Jackson.

Surprise, surprise, the project has changed hands yet again, and Pacey is out, according to an interview with MTV. "In the way that rights are assigned in this business, when it didn't happen last summer, I think the rights went back to a different person," he said. "So the guy that offered me the job, I don't think owns it anymore, which is unfortunate."

Now, well, it could stay in development hell, or one day shock us all by finally coming together. But who needs a new Fletch when you can have a nice dose of Chevy Chase? However...

Has anyone kept track of all the remakes of Asian horror films? It fairly numbs the mind to even begin counting, as soulless and derivative as they are. I know I've had to slog out to the Cineplex many an opening Friday to catch the latest one that was withheld from press screenings. Even the originals begin to blur together, following the same formula of a wronged spirit -- usually a ghostly girl with stringy black hair and hollow eyes -- entering into the lives of unsuspecting people, often through technology. Usually the heroes think they've solved the riddle at some point, but there's always one more overlooked step at the climax. Very often in the middle the heroes find themselves someplace like a library or an office building that's supposed to be brightly lit, but instead is illuminated only by a few buzzing gray lights. The original Shutter (2004) is different only because it originated in Thailand -- and is set in Bangkok -- rather than Japan. The new American remake squashes even that one unique factor by turning right around and setting the story among Americans in Tokyo.

Ben Shaw (Joshua Jackson) is a professional photographer newly married to blonde hottie Jane (Rachael Taylor), who apparently works as a 6th grade teacher and not a photographer's model. (Um... yeah. How did they meet again?) Just after their honeymoon, they land in Tokyo so that Ben can start his amazing new job, shooting colorful layouts of geisha girls. On the road, their car strikes a girl, though no evidence of her body is ever found. More strange things begin happening. White streaks appear in Ben's photos and Jane begins seeing the girl all over the place. With a little detective work, Jane discovers that Ben actually knew her. She was Megumi Tanaka (Megumi Okina), a shy, uncertain translator. Ben may have been her first love, but he didn't love her quite the same and things ended badly. So why, then, are Ben's buddies Bruno (David Denman) and Adam (John Hensley) suddenly dying?

I've made it no secret that I'm ridiculously happy that Christian Bale was picked to be the latest incarnation of Batman. Sure, other people might have done a good job, but Bale is flipping perfect. That being said, what would you have thought of, say, Joshua Jackson as the dark hero? And, if you didn't want him as Bruce Wayne, what about Peter Parker?

A few days after hearing that Chris Cooper almost got the role of Lt. Gordon in Batman Begins (I love Cooper, but phew!), MTV has posted a similar discussion with Joshua Jackson. According to the ol' Dawson's Creek actor, he was one of the "last four or five guys" up for the gig -- and it's not the only superhero gig he's been interested in. Jackson said: "You know, honestly, out of the big super heroes, the guy that I would most naturally be a fit to play is Spider-Man, but that one is pretty well locked up. And, frankly, I'm too old to play that character because the parable of Spider-Man is the teenager going through puberty."

Upon hearing that Tobey Maguire hasn't signed on for the future flicks in the works, Jackson continued: "Well then, yeah. That was really subtle of me putting my name in the hat." Of course, it's nothing more than a fleeting interest right now, but you never know what could happen. What would you do if Maguire hands his red tights to Jackson?

Ladies and gentlemen, Pacey is back! I don't care how far Joshua Jackson goes with his career, he'll always be Pacey -- lovable bad boy of Dawson's Creek -- to me. Pacey is starring in the new horror film Shutter with Rachael Taylor (the impossibly hot blonde computer expert in Transformers). They play newlyweds who start to see ghosts in their photographs. Spoooooooky! Rounding out the cast are a few more television stars -- John Hensley from Nip/Tuck, James Kyson Lee from Heroes, and David Denman from The Office. The film is a remake of the 2004 Thai film of the same name. It comes from the producers of The Grudge, and is directed by Masayuki Ochiai (Infection). The script was written by first-timer Luke Dawson.

MTV Movies Blog has the exclusive premiere of the trailer for Shutter, and it looks...pretty much like every other PG-13 horror movie to hit multiplexes in the past few years. They kick things off with that ominous camera snap from the trailer for The Texas Chainsaw Massacre remake. Then there's some Discovery Channel-style voiceover about "spirit photography," where images of the dead are caught on film. Some creepy "actual" photos, some whispered dialogue, a girl in a nightgown, Pacey making out with a dead chick, bada-boom-bada-bing. It all looks pretty standard to me. What do you folks think? Will Shutter make you shudder? Find out when it flashes into theaters on March 21st.

First, Chevy Chase considered returning to the iconic role with Kevin Smith, but that turned ugly. Then, it was going to be Smith directing Jason Lee. Then, it was going to be Bill Lawrence directing Zach Braff. Ryan Reynolds was mentioned a lot, and jumped out to me as a perfect choice. The most recent talk had Joshua "Pacey" Jackson stepping into the role, with Steve Pink (Accepted) at the helm. But it seems the role of Irwin "Fletch" Fletcher is still up for grabs. Now The Office's John Krasinski is interested, bringing the total to at least four appealing television actors who have flirted with the update of the 1985 comedy classic, Fletch. Fletch Won has been passed around like a hot potato, and I'm not even sure what script they're working off of at this point. IMDb lists a script by Pink, Eli Jorne and Charlie McDowell, but it also lists a 2007 release date -- and that ain't gonna happen. I don't know what to believe anymore!

"My name was tossed around a little bit for the role, and it's something that [I might consider]," Krasinski tells MTV Movies Blog. "[Negotiating something like this] is a give or take kind of thing. I read the script, and it is hilarious. It's just one of those things that is so terrifying, to step up and be in a role that was done so perfectly," says Krasinski, adding "I mean, Chevy Chase not only created that role, but he did it pretty damn well." I think fans should be happy with this bit of news. The original film was very important to my youth, and I've been surprisingly pleased with every potential Fletch. Krasinski is terrific on The Office, and would be a much better fit for the material than the admittedly talented Joshua Jackson. I'd be happy to see Krasinski take a crack at Fletch, especially if he can keep the "raised eyebrow looks to the camera" at a minimum. Plus, it'd be a great way for him to earn back some cool points after the sure-to-be-sucktacular License to Wed. "Robin Williams as a Zany Preacher?" The only phrase less likely to get me into the theater would be "Ned Beatty as an Exotic Dancer."

Say it ain't so Pacey? For those who thought the re-birth of the Fletch series was going to go one way (Kevin Smith, Jason Lee), and then another way (Bill Lawrence, Zach Braff), it appears it's going to go in an entirely different direction. IESB reports that Joshua Jackson (remember him?) is set to take over the role of Fletch in the long-gestating Fletch Won project, with Steve Pink signing on to direct. Pink, for those who don't know, wrote the John Cusack flicks Grosse Point Blanke and High Fidelity, and he also helmed last summer's surprise hit comedy Accepted, starring Justin Long.

Last time we checked in on Fletch Won, Zack Braff had officially declined to star (because of other projects he wanted to direct), and Bill Lawrence (Scrubs creator) was hanging on by a thread, scouting locations and searching for an adequate replacement. Since then, it seems Lawrence has dropped out and, instead of putting the kibosh on this sucker once and for good, they've decided to give it one more shot. Personally, I have more of a problem with Jackson (who's always pissed me off ever since his days rubbing elbows with Dawson and the gang) than I do with Pink. Grosse Point Blanke, High Fidelity and Accepted are three films I highly enjoyed, and I'm sure the guy would bring some laughs to the franchise. But Joshua Jackson? Pacey? Seriously? IESB says word should be made official anytime now, so everyone -- on the count of three -- sing it with me ... 1 ... 2 ... 3 ... I don't wanna wait for our lives to be over ...

There's some news I am still trying to process before writing it up, so in the interim, I give you news bits:

• It's time for a little more news on Denzel Washington's upcoming The Great Debaters. We've covered the film briefly before, when there were Jackson possibilities and Weinstein money. The period feature is about African American poet, Mel Tolson, and his creation of Wiley College's first debating team, which went on to defeat Harvard in the national championships. Washington has stepped up, not surprisingly, to play Tolson, and Stomp the Yard's Columbus Short is in negotiations to play one of the students. This film should also prove to be a breath of fresh air from the usual hoodlum-turned-scholar fare -- Production Weekly reports that one of the debaters was a 14-year-old freshman whose father was the first Negro Ph.D in Texas.
• In January, Erik reported that Rachael Taylor had signed on for the Shutter remake. Now we've got a veritable poo-poo platter of television testosterone to round out the cast. First there is the Dawson's Creek heartthrob who has been fading into the background since his stint as Pacey ended, Joshua Jackson, who co-stars with Taylor as her new husband. Next comes David Denman who not only plays Roy on The Office, but also played the big, secretive monster Skip on Angel. You can throw a little Nip/Tuck to the mix with John Hensley, who plays Matt McNamara. And finally, there is James Kyson Lee, who plays Hiro's sidekick, Ando, on Heroes.
• The BBC has just released an article about the future of technology, as told from a survey produced by the South Korean government. Sure, there are musings about cell phone batteries that last a month, robot surgeons, and other zany ideas, but they also muse that by 2015, we'll have fragrance catridges in our computer. Sure, it's been talked about before, but just think about it -- John Water's smellovision with everything! Perhaps the director would then add smells to everything, although I think some certain, infamous, Divine scenes should remain smell-free. [via Film Ick]

The cast of Bobby exercised their right to Freedom of Speech at the Dubai International Film Festival where they voiced their discontent with today's political climate. The film, directed by Emilio Estevez, chronicles the lives of 22 people who were at the Ambassador Hotel when Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated on June 6, 1968. The film has been making its way through the festival circuit, as well as a limited theatrical release, and was just recently screened in Los Angeles at the AFI Film Festival. (Oh, and we should also mention that it was nominated for a Golden Globe in the Best Motion Picture category.) The film's subject, obviously a political one, has given the actors a platform in which to discuss the world's current political turmoils.

Actors Laurence Fishburne and Joshua Jackson were the most vocal at the Dubai's festival junket. Hollywood Reporter quoted Fishburne and Jackson expressing their embarrassment by the current state of affairs and that the American public needed to be more vocal about their discomfort in these affairs -- much like the public in the sixties -- as demonstrated in the film.

The inspiration for Gary Michael Waters -- executive producer of Bobby -- to make the film was "to revive the Kennedy legacy for a new generation." The legacy isn't a bad one to revive. Robert Kennedy is remembered for his incredible work during a volatile period in America's history. One of his most applauded efforts was his direct contribution to the Civil Rights Movement.

Bobby isn't the only film with a political agenda; rather it seems making a statement -- even if controversial -- is the inspiration for many films these days; Fahrenheit 911, Syriana and even the surprise hit documentary An Inconvenient Truth have their own agendas. Filmmakers tread in dangerous waters as politics becomes a touchy subject for most...but then it isn't art if it doesn't offend somebody, right?

I guess that with the exception of Michelle Williams, none of the Dawson's Creek alum really managed to make a big splash in the movies. Joshua Jackson kind of dropped off the radar, but he seems to be in the midst of an upswing with roles in Bobby and Battle in Seattle. And, I think we all know what happened to Kate Holmes. Then there was Dawson himself, James Van Der Beek. Van Der Beek had a few film roles during the Dawson years -- Varsity Blues had an All The Right Moves charm to it in a way, and I thought he was pretty good in Rules of Attraction, but since the end of the show, Van Der Beek had kept a low profile.

ComingSoon.net has reported that principal photography has finished on Punchy with Van Der Beek in the starring role. Punchy follows a screenwriter (who's hopefully not a Spielberg fan) who comes up with the idea that if he locks himself away in his apartment for a month, he'll be able to finish a screenplay that's rapidly approaching the "drop dead" date. Things turn sour when his isolation brings on the worst kind of cabin fever. Jonathan Duech is directing the Darryn Lucie script with Peace Arch Entertainment Group Inc. holding the worldwide distribution rights. There isn't any word on a release date yet, but since principal photography has only just finished, I would think it could be a while.

• Christa McAuliffe: Reach For The Stars - Massachusetts native Christa McAuliffe has become quite inseparable from the image of the ghastly tendrils of smoke hanging over the Florida sky after the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded in January 1986, but she's also remembered as a schoolteacher who never stopped teaching. It is this second image on which first-time filmmakers Renée Sotile and Mary Jo Godges focus, going beyond blindly reverent fluff and digging into the humanity that made the loss of McAuliffe and the subsequent grounding of the Shuttle so much of a tragedy. With a warm, comforting narration by Susan Sarandon and a note-perfect song track by Carly Simon (whose tapes McAuliffe brought aboard Challenger), the film captures the spirit of exploration and discovery through McAuliffe's example, and not by just stating she was a shining star we should all try hard to emulate.