'Lone Ranger' rides on fee cuts, less Disney risk

DeppBruckheimerWalt Disney Art galleries and Jerry Bruckheimer have become within the saddle for "Lone Ranger," however in a lesser budget, with costs for principal players reduced 20% and Bruckheimer Films tallying to pony up for nearly any cost overruns.A couple of several days following a Mouse House balked inside a steep $250 million cost for your Gore Verbinski-helmed Western, the two sides have pared decrease your budget closer to $215 million and zeroed in around the era date that will change it out in the original 12 ,. 21, 2012 berth, having its production start postponed from November to February, sources near the project mentioned.Despite over-blown reviews that Disney attracted the plug round the bigscreen adaptation in August, the pic was not ever dead construction of latest Mexico sets were positioned on hold, as producers lassoed inside the arrange for the Western.To have the ability to keep costs lower, the script by Justin Haythe ("Revolutionary Road") and "Pirates in the Caribbean"-franchise scribes Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio was reworked to eliminate some pricey f/x sequences including supernatural elements, sources told Variety. Verbinski, Bruckheimer and stars The Actor-kaira Pitt and Armie Hammer also reduced their costs by 20%, with certain obligations deferered prior to the box office results start coming.Once the budget goes beyond the completely new made the decision number, Bruckheimer -- not Disney -- will have to purchase overages.Disney declined to comment Wednesday, and contains continued to be mother through the settling process."Lone Ranger" stars Hammer since the masked crime fighter and Depp as his Native American partner Tonto, as well as Tom Wilkinson and Ruth Wilson. The actioner was always imagined just like a high-profile tentpole for Disney and Bruckheimer. Disney is wanting to utilize Depp again around the potential new franchise, following a fourth "Pirates'' pic hauled in than $1 billion within the worldwide box office. "Alice's adventures in wonderland," through which he carried out the Mad Hatter, also acquired greater than $1 billion. Studio remains marketing Depp's participation with "The Lone Ranger" since 2008."Lone Ranger" reteams Depp with Verbinski, who helmed the initial three "Pirates" photos (additionally to "Rango," which Depp voiced), and Bruckheimer, who produced them.Checking your financial allowance shouldn't come because an unpredicted, with art galleries frequently brushing around the film's costs before a film can get the greenlight, especially at cost-conscious congloms.Disney is during the time of creating several tentpoles with budgets north of $200 million, including "Oz, the fantastic and Effective" and "John Carter."It's part of the Mouse House's mandate to target much more about characteristics that the business's divisions can be helped by by creating consumer products, theme parks, videogames and tv show spinoffs. As Disney chief Bob Iger mentioned within a current earnings call with experts, the studio could make "films that are bigger and a lot more harmful," but reduced how large its slate continue.The Lone Ranger character was introduced in the 1933 radio show, created by George W. Trendle and created by Fran Strike, before turning to be considered a TV series through the 19 fifties and spinning off into movies and comicbooks.Disney needed to lock lower a start date, thinking about the truth that Depp's dancecard is filling. He's presently shooting Tim Burton's adaptation of "Dark Shadows" at Warner Bros., and recently signed to produce and star in the remake of "The Thin Guy," and tv show "Kolchak: The Evening Stalker" at Disney. He's also hoping to get a pic based on Paul Revere. Contact Marc Graser at marc.graser@variety.com