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THE DARK KNIGHT RISES Set Visit Preview and 4 Awesome New Posters!Disney Will Not Make THE LONE RANGER with Johnny Depp, Armie Hammer, and Gore Verbinski [UPDATED]
by Brendan Bettinger Posted:August 13th, 2011 at 9:54 am
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The Lone Ranger had all the makings of a tentpole for Disney. The December 2012 release date. The impressive cast, led by Johnny Depp, Armie Hammer, and Tom Wilkinson. The nostalgia for a known property. The $250 million budget… wait, why does a western need to cost $250 million. I understand that Johnny Depp is as expensive as he is bankable, especially when paired with Gore Verbinski, the director of the first three Pirates of the Caribbean movies. But to spend Pirates-level money on a genre that is not noted for success in modern theaters is bad business. I mean, how much nostalgia is there really for The Lone Ranger? Disney’s answer: not enough.
Deadline reports the studio has halted production before the October start date, even though filmmakers were trying to reduce costs to a mere $232 million. The Lone Ranger will join At the Mountains of Madness and The Dark Tower on the 2011 list of ambitious adaptations that were too risky for their studios. The Lone Ranger was the furthest along, though, with a full cast. The news is surprising, but totally understandable. There are much better ways for Disney to spend $250 million.
[Update: Variety now reports that the project is "far from dead," and all parties involved are now working to trim the budget closer to $200 million. Whether the film will still make the planned October start date or if Disney will ultimately pull the plug remains to be seen.]
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Related Links
- Tom Wilkinson and Ruth Wilson Return to THE LONE RANGER; Movie Trying to Reassemble Supporting Cast
- Producer Jerry Bruckheimer Talks THE LONE RANGER Budget Negotiations; Plus Brief Update on PIRATES 5
- THE LONE RANGER Comes Back from the Brink; Expected to Begin Shooting in Early 2012
- Johnny Depp Won’t Do THE LONE RANGER without Director Gore Verbinski
- Phillip Noyce Leaves HUNTER KILLER; Will THE LONE RANGER Ride without Gore Verbinski?
It should also be noted that the filmmakers are doing everything they can to make sure that the movie does not die out, with it possibly being saved for later and at a lower budget, or it will be shopped to other studios (like Disney also did this year with Joseph Kosinski’s Oblivion). I for one still hope to see this movie back on track as soon as possible.
More than likely it was canceled because “Cowboys & Aliens” (and Jonah Hex) failed to make a ton of money at the box office. If you notice when there’s one failure, Disney re-evaluates their plans. That’s why when “Mars Needs Moms” bombed they cut out the word “Mars” from “John Carter”.
Good riddance, I didn’t care about it and wasn’t going to see it anyway.
I can see a movie like At the Mountains of Madness having a 200 million budget, but Lone Ranger? That’s just nonsense.
I cant blame then for getting cold feet. Who in there right mind would spend 260 mil on a Lone Ranger movie ? Clearly the failure of Cowboys and Aliens at the boxoffice went a long way in there decision. I would love to see a spread sheet to see where all that money was going to be spend. You would think they were going to make Transformers 4. Its just crazy.
“Who in their right mind would spend 260 mil on a Lone Ranger movie?”
A-M-E-N!!!
The Lone Ranger with Johnny Depp as Tonto…
I’m just about Depp’d out anyway…thank goodness for this. I have fond memories of The Lone Ranger and surely this bastardized version would have just pissed me off; especially with Depp wanting to reinvent Tonto.
Well they already wasted a good bit of the budget. I was touring the WB backlot recently and noticed that most of the absurdly expensive props were paid for and reserved for The Lone Ranger. This news is somewhat disappointed only because of the cast.
Follow up with a story on how many of the deals were pay or play, meaning they probably had to give Dept 20 million no matter what. Right?
oops Depp.
hello