Lone Ranger

Hi-Ho Silver, away!”

A modern movie hero who doesn’t curse, doesn’t use slang, who doesn’t drink or smoke or visit saloons, who believes in God and country and a strict moral code, who only uses guns when he has to, and even then never shoots to kill? The American West is about to get a dose of reserved cowboy justice, as super producer Jerry Bruckheimer has confirmed to MTV News that he’s developing a “Lone Ranger” series of films.

“It’s being written, well it’s not being written now, but it’s about to be written,” he said of the rumored project. “We were just working out the story before the strike and hopefully that will end soon and we can continue on.”

We, in this case, means “Pirates of the Caribbean” writers Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio. But don’t think that means the titular hero will be anything like Captain Jack, cautions Bruckheimer, who revealed that the story wouldn’t be an update, but instead something of an origin story. That means adhering to the strict moral code laid down by “Lone Ranger” creator Fran Striker.

“I wouldn’t say it’s an updating of the tale, I would say it’s kind of getting back to the roots of the tale,” Bruckheimer confessed. “Where it originated from — it’s about Texas Rangers, so we’re going to take it to how the characters are created.”

It would be a somewhat fitting next step for Bruckheimer and crew, considering that fifteen years ago the two genres that were universally acknowledged to be dead were pirate movies and westerns. When you’ve conquered one, why not go for the other?

On the future of that first lucrative franchise, meanwhile, Bruckheimer said the time isn’t yet right to discuss “Pirates 4.”

“Not yet, not yet,” he said, smiling. “We’re still counting the money from the last one!”

“The Lone Ranger” will soon begin his ride off into the sunset, but before he does what do you think of Bruckheimer’s pitch? Can audiences fall in love with a goodie-goodie? And if so, who should play the masked man?

I can.Eric Bana

Breaking News: Johnny Depp Also The Lone Ranger?
Source:ComingSoon.net, Heather Newgen
September 24, 2008

During Disney’s preview today in Hollywood, the studio questioned who could possibly play the titular character in its upcoming feature The Lone Ranger.

At that, Disney rolled out the USC marching band to come down and play the Ranger’s theme song. This was followed by an appearance by Depp himself who took to the stage in full Captain Jack Sparrow attire…wearing The Lone Ranger’s mask.

The Lone Ranger, said to be an origin story, is written by Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio.

This is a breaking new story, so we’ll update you on the project, and Depp’s possible involvement, as more details come in.

seen it on the bbc news blog today that he may be playing tonto!?

Officially announced that Depp (who is part Cherokee) will be playing Tonto in a new film produced by Jerry (Pirates of the Caribbean) Bruckheimer. Word on the movie gossip sites like Ain’t it Cool is that George Clooney has expressed interest in playing The Ranger himself. My biggest concern is the tone - not interested in a comic retelling.

Agree with you Garko Forever. Might as well cast Jim Carey as “The Lone Ranger”!

Geez this sounds awful.at least apaloosa sounds promising.

Sounds like a dud ;D.

I’m highly suspicious of it. -July, release date.

We don’t need origins, for one thing.

7 Rangers were ambushed, but only 6 graves had bodies in them. Tonto was already Reed’s contact, or companion. No explanation needed.

Reed was already wearing a mask. No explanation needed. We ‘know’ they’re heading after the ambushers.

Reed needed a horse, so they (Tonto was already riding Scout) walked to The Valley Of Wild Horses, where they saw a bison charging, horns first, a white horse lying motionless in the sand. Reed shot the bison once in the head. They help the white horse up, and it runs-about all majestically. Tonto remarks that it won’t wear a bit, so Reed gets a rope and fashions a hackamore… and as Reed displays it, Tonto muses that the horse’s white colour reminds him of silver-white mountain-snow. Reed likes the name; Silver, and uses it to call the horse, who immediately runs over and allows the hackamore to be slipped over its head. 2-or-3 days later, Silver is saddled, then mounted for the first time. It runs-around in mild protest, but quickly accepts Reed’s weight. The only explanation needed is a technical one… Bisons don’t live in non-grasslands like the Southwest, and they don’t charge wild horses in a scenario like that. The two animals couldn’t care less about each other.

They discover a vein of silver and Reed decides to make some bullets as a personal trademark. No explanation needed.

I see the Cavendish-character listed on imdb, so I know it’s gonna be an ‘origin’-film. And now Tonto is listed as ‘a native American spirit warrior’. Wtf? Tonto’s appeal is that he wears a gunbelt, and can quickdraw via practice and skill. Not magic. His wisdom comes from camping under the open skies of desert-country. Not from some mystical ninjitsu misty-mountain serenity stuff.

I was hoping it’d be a straightforward western with some Once Upon A Time In The West complexities to it, so the Lone Ranger can don some of his colourful character-disguises. -Like 1957’s The Lone Ranger And The Lost City Of Gold. No explanations. Just a solid plot.

I’m willing to give this a chance. At least it will be better than Jonah Hex. I would’ve dismissed this as a piece of shit as well but the director attached to it actually has some good films under his belt, not just some first time director who’s a pawn for the studios.

Also Depp adds a bit of credibility to it. It not like Seth Rogan playing Green Hornet or something like that lol.

Budget is through the roof though, don’t know how they can expect to make a profit with this film.

That is an issue. In order for the movie to make a profit, it will have to earn more at the box office than any western has ever earned at the box office ever. That’s not a gamble I’d be willing to make as a movie exec.

Yeah man. Plus you factor in the fact that the studios only take in a net of half of what the gross is. On top of the 250 million budget figure, there is print and advertising, which will drive up the cost to well beyond 300 million.

The director can learn a thing or two from Roger Corman.

In order to make a profit, this film has to turn in some Avengers-like numbers at the box office. And that ain’t happening in a western.

Things don’t look good. I’m expecting an even bigger financial loss than Cowboys and Aliens and the Alamo combined.

Disney films has lost alot of money in the past few years. The profit gained from the Avengers films won’t make up for the major losses of John Carter, Tron Legacy, this film and others.