Jerry Bruckheimer and Gore Verbinski’s The Lone Ranger has gone through all manner of rigmarole since its inception – not the least of which was the inclusion of mystical werewolves (or should we say “supernatural coyotes”?) and a radically ballooning budget as a result.
But those werewolves/coyotes – among other expensive items– have since been cut from the film in order for it to be greenlit, or so they say. Now, finally, Lone Ranger will begin shooting next month in New Mexico.
Check out a portion of the press release below from New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez and the New Mexico Film Office:
January 13, 2012 SANTA FE – Governor Susana Martinez and the New Mexico Film Office announced today that Walt Disney Pictures and Jerry Bruckheimer Films’ ‘The Lone Ranger,’ directed by Gore Verbinski and starring Johnny Depp, will begin principal photography in New Mexico in February 2012, with production planned in and around Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Shiprock and other locations around the state through the middle of August 2012.
“The Lone Ranger is proof that New Mexico’s film industry is alive and well,” said Governor Martinez. “This administration is committed to fostering productive relationships with film studios so we can continue to offer our talented workforce and breathtaking backdrops for major productions. As we continue to build upon our reputation as a premier film production center, we are pleased to welcome The Lone Ranger to our state.”
[…]
The Lone Ranger is directed by Gore Verbinski, produced by Jerry Bruckeimer, and features an all-star cast with Johnny Depp as Tonto and Armie Hammer as John Reid, the Lone Ranger. The Lone Ranger is a thrilling action adventure infused with action and humor, in which the famed masked hero is brought to life through new eyes. Native American spirit warrior Tonto recounts the untold tales that transformed John Reid a man of the law, into a legend of justice—taking the audience on a runaway train of epic surprises and humorous friction as the two unlikely heroes must learn to work together and fight against greed and corruption.
That last paragraph almost makes it sound like a buddy-cop movie set in the wild, wild west, which isn’t automatically a bad thing.
It’s unclear at this point how much of the mystical aspect of Gore Verbinski’s Lone Ranger will remain in the final product. One thing you can probably count on is that Tonto, as played by Johnny Depp, will likely be the protagonist to Armie Hammer’s sort-of-sidekick Lone Ranger (a la the tangentially-related Green Hornet). Other things you can expect: The rip-roaring adventure and comedy hijinks that Bruckheimer, Verbinski, and Depp made so popular in their Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy.
Alas, if Lone Ranger turn out to be a box-office failure, one thing you should not expect is another big-budget western film for a very long time – especially after Cowboys & Aliens’ lukewarm success.
Are you guys looking forward to Gore Verbinski’s fresh new take on The Lone Ranger? Let us know in the comments.
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Follow me on Twitter @benandrewmoore.
The Lone Ranger is expected to hit theaters May 31st, 2013.
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Here’s to great expectations…
And failures that are inevitable.
I am usually up for just about anything Depp has his hands on but this one will be a rental at best. At least thats my early impression.
depp is a great actor but Tonto please i grew up watching this show and had the honor of meeting Clayton Moore in person what a class act.this had better be good or you will have the sprits of Jay Silverheels & Clayton Moore haunting you.
Why New Mexico? Utah is one of the more traditional Western filming locations
New Mexico has one of the most competitive film tax incentives. Plus, there are so many great areas of the state to film in which are reminiscent of the old west. Santa Fe, Mesilla, or even Las Cruces.
Films shoot in New Mexico in 2011 and 2010 include:
A Bird of the Air
As Cool As I Am
Avengers, The
Bad Posture
Banshee Chapter, The
Beyond the Blackboard
Bigfoot Election, The
Billy the Kid
Blaze You Out
Blue Alchemy: Stories of Indigo
Boys of Abu Ghraib, The
Breaking Bad Season 4
Cowboys & Aliens
Gambit
Goats
Haywire
In Plain Sight, Season 4
Ink: A Tale of Captivity
Jackie
Lemonade Mouth
Longmire
Lying Game, The
MMA Fight Pit: Genesis
Odd Thomas
Passion Play
Paul
Reconstruction
Refuge
Resident, The
Righteous & the Wicked, The
Roswell FM
SpOiled
Stars
Sunset Limited, The
Ten Year
This Must Be the Place
Thor
Tin Star, The
Truth Be Told
2010
5 Shells
A Nightmare in Las Cruces
Adventures of a 7th Grade Dragon Slayer
Aurora Experiment, The
Before We Say Goodbye
Black Experience in New Mexico: 1974-1980
Bless Me, Ultima
Breaking Bad Season 3
Due Date
Fright Night
Gunfight at La Mesa
In Plain Sight Season 3
Inhale
Iron Man 2
Last Stop
Legion
Let Me In
Love Ranch
MacGruber
Odds, The
Reunion, The
Scoundrels
Stargate Universe: Malice
The Pit: Rebirth of a Legend
Tiger Eyes
True Grit
They are also filming in colorado. They are in my hometown right now.
“Alas, if Lone Ranger turn out to be a box-office failure, one thing you should not expect is another big-budget western film for a very long time”
Why? I can’t understand why studios have this idea. If this movie fails, it won’t be because it was set in the old west. It’s like saying Batman and Robin failed cause the public had enough Batman.
Because the studios are stupid. I’m not saying I agree with it, it’s just how these things tend to go.
When will Hollywood learn not to try and fix things that aren’t broken just because no one there has enough talent and imagination to come up with somthing fresh and original?
The Lone Ranger was good in its day, but time really does march on. Enough already with bad sequels, reboots, bad sequels of reboots. Haven’t they yet wrung the last drop of ink out of comic book characters? And, when they think they might have done so, they do a whole new reboot of those characters. Some of these Hollywood Wonder Boys should sit down and watch some films from the nineteen thirties. They just might get some good ideas and see how fine films used to be made.
Well, I wouldn’t have said it quite this way, but, actually, it’s quite true and I agree with the sentiment. One thing about the old films, they relied more on a really good story rather than just flashing one scene to the next, using computer graphics instead of good acting. And yes, instead of trying to remake old movies, why not try something better: like reading some of the old books, especially adventure, and making really glorious films about something that hasn’t been seen yet.
Hollywood has a very bad habit with bothering classic good shows and turning them into very bad box office flops I already know by having Johnny depp in the movie the focus will be solely on Tonto, that’s not the lone ranger that’s the Johnny drop show good luck with the movie though
Depp as the hero (Tonto?); Tonto as the hero (Depp?). And fighting werewolves? And a humor angle? Oh, how could they ruin a good concept like The Lone Ranger? This one’s gonna stink, but I will watch it on Netflix to see how bad (same as watching Green Hornet on Netflix to see how they wrecked a good icon!). Just keep your hands off Doc Savage! I want to see a serious!!! treatment of Lone ranger. And Green Hornet. And Doc Savage! Not schlocky insult the intelligence type of stuff.
it´s ridiculous that this movie is so expensive,because of c.g.i. werewolves or coyotes or the train-chaise. 230.000.000 dollar for that? the story don´t sounds fresh and new,and come on c.gi.wolves are in masses in the underworld movies and a train-chaise isn´t that exciting,i.m.o! we´ve saw how the western/fantasy mash-ups failed at the box-office. for example 1.wild wild west(99)2.cowboys and aliens 3.jonah hex 4.blueberry(u.s./french production). the only expensive thing is the check for johnny depp!
It’s hard to accept a remake of classically known actors like Clayton Moore and Tonto because they defined their roles so well and so long. So, it’ll be hard not to compare the new actors in these roles. In order for the film to be a success, the actors and story have to be extremely good to be accepted. I don’t doubt that the scenery will be fantastic, because I live in New Mexico. So will look forward to that. But again, it will have to be really good to over-shadow the original Lone Ranger. Please, production team, do honor to the original if nothing else!
Can you say “Sherlock holmes?”
I am looking forward to this movie. When I was a kid I loved watching The Lone Ranger. I even liked the failed 1981 movie.Its great to see childhood heros back on the big screen especially if the can keep to the values and lessons of the series while still making its own story. The great thing about heros is they never die. Sure hollywood can kill them off but a hero isn’t just a person. They are an idea, a hope. They make us think. Think about it. Do you want your kids to have the values of the lone ranger and superman or spongebob squarepants?
if they make the Lone ranger movie similiar to Pirates, it will fail. If kept to the original with real drama, it will be a hit and have sequels with new adventures akin to oo7. One can only hope.
crazy bout the Great S.W. and Depp. BTW , Movie Maken’s alotta hard work will make you want a Lotta Burger at Blakes.wit NM.green chile.