Uber-movie producer Jerry Bruckheimer promised something big on his Twitter feed and at 3pm (GMT) he posted the first official production shot of Armie Hammer and Johnny Depp in costume as The Lone Ranger and Tonto from Gore Verbinski’s forthcoming blockbuster. And it’s… er… it’s… different.
The first shot from this $215 million Disney behemoth gives off a strong Pirates of the Carribean-goes-West vibe thanks to Verbinski’s distinctive visual sense and Depp’s flamboyant and eccentric outfit. Meanwhile Hammer looks a little like Seth Green!?
Beyond this the script has been penned by Pirates of the Carribean writers Ted Elliot and Terry Rossio, and the cast features Helena Bonham Carter, William Fichtner, Barry Pepper, Tom Wilkinson, James Badge Dale and Harry Treadaway. But based on the gut feeling I get from this shot and Bruckheimer’s remark that this “isn’t going to be your grandfather’s Lone Ranger and Tonto…” I’ve got a distinct whiff of the knockabout adventure hijinks of the Pirates movies, and to my tastes, that’s not a particularly good omen, though to Bruckheimer’s bank balance I’m sure he’s rubbing his paws with glee.
The Lone Ranger is due for release on 31st May 2013.
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5 Comments
Why is a bird taking a dump on johnnys head?
Likely because Johnny Depp thought it would be funny! lol.
I agree with the sentiments of Owain. I do not believe a “Pirates” theme will blend well with the expectations one might have for Mr. Lone Ranger – who I would associate as more of an Indian Jones type action icon. A little more rough, brazen, funny quips granted but a baggy of attitude ready to be dispensed from his six shooter.
Yeeeeee-haw, as the Lone Ranger might remark.
I wish Depp had given Gilliam some of his post-Pirates financial cache and helped him get Quixote up and running… But, then again, outside of Burton and Captain Jack Sparrow does Depp really have that much cache?
Verbinski is a highly accomplished director so expect this to look fantastic, well acted and be technically brilliant. But his films are ALWAYS too long and indulgent notably: PIRATES, RANGO and THE MEXICAN. I’d have preferred a genre director like James Mangold on this kind of story.