The biggest problem with the Hollywood news cycle is that nothing’s final until it’s final. That and everyone usually lies about everything, so the “truth” is always open to interpretation.
The most significant and surprising news story to come out this weekend is the Deadline report that Disney has pulled the plug on Lone Ranger, the Jerry Bruckheimer-produced, Gore Verbinski-directed movie starring Armie Hammer as the titular hero and Johnny Depp as Tonto. The film was set for a December 21, 2012 release and was to be Disney’s major Christmas release for 2012, facing off against major competition in December like The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, Hunter Killer, Life of Pi, This is Forty, World War Z, and Django Unchained. Why would Disney shut down production of a Bruckheimer/Verbinski/Depp movie after the trio produced three massively successful Pirates of the Caribbean films together (and a fourth without Verbinski)? The initial reports suggested the project’s massive budget (increasing past $250 million), and Disney’s overall concern about a western costing over $200 million. After all, Cowboys & Aliens, another “blockbuster” western, has been performing well below expectations at the box office likely because of bad word-of-mouth.
But don’t cry into your cowboy hat just yet. A later update from Deadline and another report from Variety both indicate that the film isn’t necessarily dead, but Disney is insisting that costs of the film must come at closer to $200 million than the numbers it’s currently running. I mean, I get it –I just can’t understand how Lone Ranger could cost over $250 million — do they plan to CG all the horses? Westerns used to be among the cheapest films studios could make — that’s why there were so many western serials — simply because you didn’t need to spare much expense in terms of costumes and sets. Depp has been insistent on making this film for about five years now, and as someone who has directed and produced films himself, I am sure Depp could find ways to trim the expenses if he really wants to make the movie.
We’ll keep on this story as it develops, but until then what do you think? If you were running Disney, would you spend $250 million+ on The Lone Ranger?
Recent Comments