Zach Braff will not star in the new Fletch film, Fletch Won.

The film, which begins shooting in the near future, is the prequel to the 1985 Chevy Chase movie Fletch, and is based on the novel of the same name by Gregory McDonald.

The film will be directed by Scrubs mastermind Bill Lawrence, which has led to suggestions that Braff would take the lead role.

Lawrence admits that Braff was on board at one point, but was offered the chance to make his own film Open Hearts at the same time. "Zach is writing and directing his own film at Paramount. We were looking forward to doing this thing together, but when you get an opportunity like that, you've got to take it."