A decision about whether Disney will proceed with its high-profile “The Lone Ranger” is expected next week, TheWrap has confirmed.
The project stars Johnny Depp – perhaps Disney’s most important actor -- as Tonto and Armie Hammer, one of Hollywood’s brightest young stars, as the masked man. The behind-the-camera talent is as impressive: Gore Verbinski is to direct and Jerry Bruckheimer to produce.
But in August, the studio halted production on the film because of budget concerns. Since then, Disney has acknowledged that “all parties” have been in talks.
An individual with knowledge of the talks told TheWrap on Saturday that a resolution is expected soon after Labor Day.
A spokesman for Disney did not return requests for comment.
Also Read: Disney Stops Production on Johnny Depp's 'Lone Ranger'
A spokeswoman for Bruckheimer referred questions to Disney.
Since August, speculation has been that Disney didn’t really want to scrap the movie, rather it wanted to cut costs. The cost of the movie has been estimated at well more than $250 million.
Because Disney wants Depp to star in a fifth in its enormously successful “Pirates of the Caribbean” movies, it doesn’t want to alienate the star – or “Pirates” producer Bruckheimer.
Verbinski directed three of the “Pirates” movies.
If the movie goes forward, it’ll mean a trimmed-down version of the classic western.
Variety first reported the news.
