The movie
version of The Lone Ranger, in which Johnny Depp is slated to play Tonto, has
become a hot topic in Indian country, with Native pundits and movie lovers
debating whether Depp is right for the part. For awhile last year, the movie
was shelved over budgetary concerns; to get it going again, Depp, director Gore
Verbinski and producer Jerry Bruckheimer reportedly had to trim the $250
million price tag to $215 million to please the film’s studio, Disney. Now,
though, according to The Hollywood Reporter, the projected cost may have crept
back up to $250 million.
THR cites weather delays, and the decision to build the film’s period trains from scratch for critical train sequences, as possible budget-busting developments. The Depp-Bruckheimer-Verbinski team previously collaborated on a few Pirates of the Caribbean films—one of which, by Wikipedia’s reckoning, was the most expensive film ever made.
Additionally, the release date for the film has been pushed. Originally scheduled to open May 13, 2013, The Lone Ranger will now premiere on July 3, according to DisneyDreaming.com.
THR cites weather delays, and the decision to build the film’s period trains from scratch for critical train sequences, as possible budget-busting developments. The Depp-Bruckheimer-Verbinski team previously collaborated on a few Pirates of the Caribbean films—one of which, by Wikipedia’s reckoning, was the most expensive film ever made.
Additionally, the release date for the film has been pushed. Originally scheduled to open May 13, 2013, The Lone Ranger will now premiere on July 3, according to DisneyDreaming.com.
