The Lone Ranger

The Lone Ranger is an upcoming 2013 American action western film directed by Gore Verbinski and distributed by Walt Disney Pictures, based on the American Old West character serials of the same name. The film stars Armie Hammer in the title role and Johnny Depp as Tonto.

Plot
Not much is known about the story other than what director Gore Verbinksi told MTV News about the film being focused around Tonto rather than the Lone Ranger. Verbinski said, "You've heard the Lone Ranger's story; you just haven't heard it told from this guy, and he was there." Along the same lines (and in the same article), Depp talks about Tonto, "I like the character. I think I have interesting plans for the character, and I think the film itself could be entertaining and very funny, but also I like the idea of having the opportunity to make fun of the idea of the Indian as a sidekick — which has always been [the case] throughout the history of Hollywood. The Native American has always been a second-class, third-class, fourth-class, fifth-class citizen, and I don't see Tonto that way at all. So it's an opportunity for me to salute Native Americans."

Columbia Pictures
In March 2002, Columbia Pictures announced their intention to make a Lone Ranger film with Classic Media (which has since been renamed to DreamWorks Classics, due to the company being acquired by DreamWorks Animation in 2012), who owned the film rights at the time. Husband-and-wife producers Douglas Wick and Lucy Fisher joined the project. The tone was to be similar to The Mask of Zorro, and Columbia suggested that Tonto be rewritten as a female love interest. The projected budget was set at $70 million. In May 2003, David and Janet Peoples were hired to write the script. By January 2005, the Peoples' script was rewritten by Laeta Kalogridis, with Jonathan Mostow to direct.

Jerry Bruckheimer Films and Walt Disney Pictures
The Lone Ranger languished in development until January 2007 when The Weinstein Company became interested in purchasing the film rights from Classic Media. However, the deal fell through, and Entertainment Rights eventually optioned the property. By May 2007, producer Jerry Bruckheimer (alongside Entertainment Rights) set the film up at Walt Disney Pictures as Lone Ranger. Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio, who had worked with Bruckheimer and Disney on the Pirates of the Caribbean film series, were being considered to write the script.> In late March 2008, Elliott and Rossio were in final negotiations. Disney then announced in September 2008 that Johnny Depp would be portraying Tonto.

The Elliot/Rossio script had a supernatural tone,> and has since been rewritten by Justin Haythe. In May 2009, Mike Newell, who was then directing Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time for Bruckheimer and Disney, entered negotiations to direct Lone Ranger. However, Bruckheimer explained the following June that he wanted to wait on hiring a director until Newell completed Prince of Persia, and until Depp finished filming Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. "The priority is most definitely Pirates 4," Bruckheimer commented. "They are going to cast the title role once they get a director and Disney greenlights. We don't have a director yet." In September of 2010, Gore Verbinski was hired to direct. Filming was slated to begin after Depp finished work in Dark Shadows. Actor Armie Hammer will play the role of the Lone Ranger.

Setback
On August 12, 2011, Disney announced that production on The Lone Ranger would be delayed due to budget concerns, and on August 15, 2011, it was revealed that The Lone Ranger had been shelved for the foreseeable future due to said budgetary concerns, as well as the under-performance of another Western-genre film, Cowboys & Aliens.

Addressing the project's production problems in October 2011, Disney confirmed that the film was back on track after the budget was reworked to give the studio a chance to recoup its costs. It was reported that filming would begin on February 6, 2012, for a projected release date of May 31, 2013, which was subsequently moved to July 3, 2013.

Filming
Filming commenced the first week of March 2012 and on March 8, 2012, the first photograph of Armie Hammer as the Lone Ranger and Johnny Depp as Tonto was released.

Cinematographer Bojan Bazelli has been confirmed for shooting. Verbinski and Bazelli worked before in the successful horror film The Ring.

Some filming occurred in Moab, Utah in July 2012. Some filming took place during the month of August in Cimarron Canyon State Park, NM. Second unit (Stunt/Blue screen) work commenced in late September 2012 in the parking lot of Santa Anita Racetrack, Arcadia, California.

The film was shot in the anamorphic format with Panavision Panaflex Platinum cameras and C- and G-Series lenses.

On September 21, 2012, a crew member, Michael Andrew Bridger, suffered a heart attack and drowned while cleaning out a pool that was going to be used in the film for an underwater action scene in Acton, California.

Release
The film was initially scheduled for a Summer 2011 release date, but Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides replaced it, because the latter was considered a priority for the studio and because The Lone Ranger did not have a director. After Gore Verbinski signed for director, The Lone Ranger's release date was moved to December 21, 2012. However, budget concerns and negotiations resulted in a production delay, so the release date shifted to May 31, 2013. On May 31, 2012, the release date was pushed further back to July 3, 2013, assuming the place of DreamWorks' Robopocalypse (distributed by Disney, through Touchstone Pictures) for the July Fourth holiday weekend.

The first trailer for The Lone Ranger debuted on October 3, 2012, and was attached to 3D screenings of Disney's Frankenweenie. The official trailer was released via YouTube later on as well. The first TV commercial aired on February 3, 2013, during Super Bowl XLVII.

Filming
Filming commenced the first week of March 2012 and on March 8, the first photograph of Armie Hammer as the Lone Ranger and Johnny Depp as Tonto was released. Cinematographer Bojan Bazelli has been confirmed for shooting. Verbinski and Bazelli worked before in the successful horror film The Ring.

Cast

 * Armie Hammer as John Reid/The Lone Ranger
 * Johnny Depp as Tonto
 * William Fichtner as Butch Cavendish
 * Tom Wilkinson as Latham Cole
 * Barry Pepper as Captain Jay Fuller
 * Helena Bonham Carter as Red
 * Mason Cook as Will
 * Ruth Wilson as Rebecca Reid
 * James Badge Dale as Dan Reid
 * James Frain
 * Harry Treadaway as Frank
 * Jason E. Hill as Seamus