Posted on 08/13/2011 3:37:26 AM PDT by tlb
In a stunning development, Disney has shut down production on The Lone Ranger, the Gore Verbinski-directed period Western that was to star Johnny Depp as Tonto and Armie Hammer as the title character. Jerry Bruckheimer is the producer and the script is by Justin Haythe.
I'm told this all just happened, and Disney pulled the plug because of the budget. I've heard the filmmakers were trying to reduce the film's cost from $250 million (some even say $275 million) down to $232 million.
The Lone Ranger was scheduled to be released December 21, 2012, smack up against The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, which opens December 14, and the Brad Pitt-starrer World War Z, which was just slated for December 21.
This had to be an incredibly tough call for Disney's Rich Ross and Sean Bailey, but they have several huge live-action bets on the table already. Budgetbusters include John Carter, the Andrew Stanton-directed adaptation of John Carter of Mars with Friday Night Lights' Taylor Kitsch in the lead role, has a budget that has ballooned because of extensive re-shoots, and The Great and Powerful Oz, the Sam Raimi-directed James Franco-starrer.
The Lone Ranger has a long history, but Disney counted on Depp to make it relevant with a comedic twist.
(Excerpt) Read more at deadline.com ...
Looks like James Arness on the right.
I was just thinking that same thing.
First thing I thought of as well. I figure a big chunk of that is for Depp. And if Depp gets a lot, I'm sure the director wants a lot, too.
Funny thing is that when I saw the title, I thought someone wanted Depp to be the Lone Ranger -- and that's just sooooo wrong. I'm surprised that the usual crowd isn't hooting and hollering that Depp is playing an American Indian.
Oops, sorry. I didn't mean to use that phrase.
I meant "injun", of course.
John Carter of Mars is actually the last book of the series, and might not have been written (entirely) by Burroughs himself.
I've only read books 1, 2, 3 and 7. I have the set around here somewhere. Time to go back for a reread.
Unions. Seriously.
Watch the closing credits of a film. See the hundreds of people that worked on it. They're all union making union scale. And the overtime rules are mind boggling. There can be several unions working on a film each with their own contract. A film producer needs a whole team of people just to interpret and keep track of all the rules in each contract.
Plus superstars like Depp will get tens of millions per film.
aka the movie that took the mask of Clayton Moore.
When we got home from church the caps had disappeared and a note from Santa said that there would be no gun fights during the holidays!
During the Xmas break I wore my Costume on a planned trip to the Library. When I boarded the bus the bus driver would'nt take my fare. He asked me to sit up front near the coin box and be his armed guard!
A huge percentage of some film budgets goes to “catering,” which is Hollywood-speak for illegal drugs and drunken orgies. Some is expected, but I’d guess some suits got wind of the excesses and shut it down for fear of law enforcement intervention. There will be more leaked on this.
The Lone Ranger and Tonto aren't together any more.
The Lone Ranger finally found out that "Kimosabee" was Tonto's language for, "Kiss my a$$."
You mean the ‘Kraft food table’ wasn’t just cheese spread and crackers’.....
My guess is that some tribe threatened a law suit....
Actually....(if my sources are correct) Depp, who's from Kentucky, is part Cherokee. (which part and how much I couldn't tell you.) ; )
Too many remakes. Why spend 200mm to make something thats already been made.
Soon, the entire block was loaded with trailers, caterers and tons of gear - even a night watch dude.
This went on for three full days....I'd estimate at any given time there were over thirty high-tech carnies swarming the block.
Bonus: to further keep the peace, the catering area - which dished up super grub - was always open to the residents. We could even do 'takeout' if we wanted...which sometimes we did.
Depp is, I believe, partly of Indian ancestry. So the usual suspects [our indigenous Aboriginies] can’t really bitch.
That’s a neat story. Was that one of those big-box TV’s with the little screen? We had one of those, and it would be about that time. This was in the Chicago burbs. There wasn’t any daytime programming at first, and after dinner we’d go into the living room and, depending on the time, maybe watch the test pattern until programming began.
I liked Jay Silverheels as Tonto. He was serious, no buffoon, and loyal. Plus he didn’t look like he spent all his time in the reservation gym working out.
I’m sure the plan was to make the Lone Ranger into a buffoon with Tonto as the irrevent, though wise, sidekick.
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