It's gut-check time for Disney and its on-again, off-again "Lone Ranger" project: Mouse House execs met with producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Gore Verbinski late Thursday to discuss the pared-down production budget, and will render a decision next week, Variety's Justin Kroll exclusively reports. Verbinski wanted to shoot it with a $250 million pricetag before Disney balked and asked for something in the $200 million-$215 million range. Thursday's meeting yielded no final decision; instead, studio brass wanted to review the revised plan and mull their options over the Labor Day weekend. Verbinski’s presence at that meeting was significant: Johnny Depp, who’s long been set to play the Lone Ranger’s sidekick Tonto, let on last week that he won’t do the film without the helmer, and the studio is counting on Depp’s star power to sell the film to a broader audience. Pic, which stars Armie Hammer as the title character (as SHOWBLITZ first reported), was expected to go into production in November for a Dec. 21, 2012, release. Insiders say that even if Disney greenlights the movie now, it’s going to be cutting it close — many believe at this point the pic might have to push to an early 2012 start date, which could jeapordize its targeted premiere.
Read Full Article
