The Lone Ranger movie

[DarthNeil]

Well, that's disappointing. Was anyone else looking forward to this one?

https://www.aintitcool.com/node/50798

Well, this is a surprise, and yet, maybe not. December 2012 was stacked with big tentpole releases, including THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY, WORLD WAR Z, Spielberg's LINCOLN, and Tarantino's DJANGO UNCHAINED. So it looks like Disney's pulled the plug on THE LONE RANGER. THE LONE RANGER wasn't small potatoes in comparison to those other titles - Johnny Depp probably brings in more box office than Brad Pitt these days, and the two were going head-to-head on December 21st, 2012. It sounds like it could have been budget issues. I can't imagine a Western would need a very big budget but with Gore Verbinski directing and Depp starring, the price tag was likely a hefty one.

It's unfortunate as I think the casting was good, the director's established, and since it seemed like they were going to the roots of the original story, I think audiences would have come. No word on whether Disney will return to the film, but putting a stop to a Jerry Bruckheimer film is a pretty bold move, and I'm sure there will be repercussions with Bruckheimer and Disney because of it.

 

[Sweet Rabbit]

Re: The Lone Ranger movie cancelled

didn't even know a movie was in the works

 

[DarthNeil]

Re: The Lone Ranger movie cancelled

didn't even know a movie was in the works

They had a big announcement awhile back... Depp's Tonto was supposed to be another iconic character (a la Jack Sparrow) that Disney could merchandise for all its worth... I was just hoping for a god western.

Oh well.

 

[feroze13]

Re: The Lone Ranger movie cancelled

I'd pay money to see a God Western.

 

[devilof76]

Re: The Lone Ranger movie cancelled

Prefer godless westerns, myself.

This sucks. However, I thought they could have done better casting the title role. I'd rather it were someone closer to Depp's caliber.

 

[feroze13]

Re: The Lone Ranger movie cancelled

DarthNeil's typo made me smile, and made me think for a sec, of a Jack Kirby western, with Jack's god-being Galactcus versus a Silver man with no name. Silver cowboys and God-Aliens.

Yeah, and of course a godless western is the way to go, something like Raoul Walsh's Betrayed or Lone Plains Drifter.

In all seriousness Disney must have pulled it because there's simply no need to gamble on an archaic property when they've got so many franchises in the wings with a built in audience.

Sad but true.

 

[Biojex]

Re: The Lone Ranger movie cancelled

Damn...Quite a disappointment.

 

[devilof76]

Re: The Lone Ranger movie cancelled

DarthNeil's typo made me smile, and made me think for a sec, of a Jack Kirby western, with Jack's god-being Galactcus versus a Silver man with no name. Silver cowboys and God-Aliens.

Or something like the Dark Tower?

Yeah, and of course a godless western is the way to go, something like Raoul Walsh's Betrayed or Lone Plains Drifter.

Jim Jarmusch's Dead Man.

 

[DarthNeil]

Re: The Lone Ranger movie cancelled

DarthNeil's typo made me smile, and made me think for a sec, of a Jack Kirby western, with Jack's god-being Galactcus versus a Silver man with no name. Silver cowboys and God-Aliens.

Yeah, and of course a godless western is the way to go, something like Raoul Walsh's Betrayed or Lone Plains Drifter.

In all seriousness Disney must have pulled it because there's simply no need to gamble on an archaic property when they've got so many franchises in the wings with a built in audience.

Sad but true.

Damn yukkity yuk keyboard... I need a new one-- bad. The keys either stick or don't work unless I pound on them.

 

[feroze13]

Re: The Lone Ranger movie cancelled

@ devilof76, not familiar with Dead Man or The Dark Tower, used to read SK but never caught up with that one, same with Jarmusch, loved Ghost Dog, but not seen DM.

 

[ShadowX81]

Re: The Lone Ranger movie cancelled

Depp as Tonto? Isnt Tonto supposed to be an indian? And since when is Tonto the lead character in The Lone Ranger?

 

[tomandshell]

Re: The Lone Ranger movie cancelled

I guess it was going to be too expensive having Depp riding a CGI horse through CGI environments photorealistically recreating Monument Valley without requiring any actual location shooting.

 

[Darklord Dave]

Re: The Lone Ranger movie cancelled

I always thought tiny little Depp as Tonto with 6'4" Armie Hammer as the Ranger was going to look pretty weird. I was looking forward to it - but not terribly disappointed it's been shelved.

And the HT figures would have been the exact same height...

 

[ExMem-LarjaThwei]

Re: The Lone Ranger movie cancelled

Uh, doesn't Depp have Indian in him?


...Doh

 

[The Mike]

Re: The Lone Ranger movie cancelled

I thought we had a couple of threads on this film already

I'm actually really surprised it's been chopped. Depp is a proven moneymaker for Disney and even as dodgy as the last two outings have been they've been raking in the cash. I wonder if Disney will retain the rights or if they'll sell them off to another company or even lease them out to have another company handle this property. I don't think we've heard the last of this from this group just yet...

 

[IrishJedi]

Re: The Lone Ranger movie cancelled

This is a huge bummer. Would much rather see this happen than another PIRATES abomination. Disney has no balls.

If I we're Depp I'd tell Disney to ____ off with another Jack Sparrow unless they green light this again. They owe him & Verbinski better anyway.

 

[IrishJedi]

Re: The Lone Ranger movie cancelled

Depp as Tonto? Isnt Tonto supposed to be an indian? And since when is Tonto the lead character in The Lone Ranger?

Depp is part Native-American. And Tonto wasn't the lead, it was the Ranger played by Armie Hammer (who was great in THE SOCIAL NETWORK) and looks the part.

 

[IrishJedi]

Re: The Lone Ranger movie cancelled

Reading up on this it sounds like it's Bruckheimer's fault. He wouldn't agree to less than a $250 million budget for the film, which is beyond ridiculous.

 

[The Mike]

Re: The Lone Ranger movie cancelled

I wonder if this is just Disney posturing to either get Bruckheimer to buckle or release the project for another production company? A kind of either our way or the highway with the announcing of the canceling to be the power move on their part.

 

[Phil Sierra]

Re: The Lone Ranger movie cancelled

I actually really like spaghetti westerns the most.

Once Upon a Time in the West
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
A Fistful of Dollars

Are just a few of my all time favorites.