So Long, Lone Ranger
Mon, August 15, 2011 
Even though he headlined three billion-grossing films (two of them in the last two years in a row) and has long been the studio's MVP, even Johnny Depp's power and influence is limited over at Disney. In what was a bombshell announcement late Friday evening, "TOLDJA" broke the story of Disney pulling the plug on The Lone Ranger.
Things had advanced on the Western adventure as far as a director (Gore Verbinski), producer (Jerry Bruckheimer), script (Ted Elliot and Terry Rossio), cast (including Armie Hammer in the title role, Depp as Tonto, Ruth Wilson, Dwight Yoakam, Helena Bonham Carter and Barry Pepper) and a prime December 21, 2012 release date all being committed to.
Who can we thank for this? The budget.
Reportedly in the vicinity of $275 million and Disney execs wanted down to $200 and lowest the filmmakers could bring it down to was closer to $232 million. So just what the Hell would make a Western cost that much? Reports Hollywood Elsewhere, werewolves, obviously! The recent box-office failure of Cowboys & Aliens, Depp's dwindling box-office appeal in the US and Western's unpopularity in the foreign box-office (where Depp is still a huge star and thus the bulk of the gross would come from) also played a factor in its cancellation.
When you're reuniting the key players from the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise as Lone Ranger was going to, you know they were just going to let Depp do his "colorful weirdo" routine, no questions asked. As we said on Movie Moan last night, we'll all tired of it and honestly were that many people really looking forward to this?
Reader Comments (1)
I heard the film hasn't been dropped fully. That its on hold for possible retooling to lower the costs.