Johnny Depp-starring "Lone Ranger" begins production

PanARMENIAN.Net - After several stops and starts in its development, "The Lone Ranger" began filming, The Wrap reported.

The Walt Disney film was shelved last summer over budget concerns, but revived after producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Gore Verbinski agreed to make cuts.

The movie reunites Verbinski with his "Pirates of the Caribbean" star Johnny Depp, who will play the masked vigilante's Native American side-kick Tonto. Armie Hammer will play the Lone Ranger.

Production was originally scheduled to start on October. However, in August, Disney put the brakes on the project citing a budget that was initially estimated to be between $250 million and $275 million.

To get the green light, Verbinski and Bruckheimer trimmed the cost to approximately $215 million. In mid-October, Disney announced that the project was back on.

“The Lone Ranger” will film exteriors and studio work in New Mexico, followed by locations in Arizona, Utah and Colorado.

The supporting cast boasts Tom Wilkinson (“Michael Clayton"), William Fichtner (“Black Hawk Down”); Barry Pepper (“Saving Private Ryan”); James Badge Dale (“The Grey"); Ruth Wilson. It will also reunite Depp with his "Sweeney Todd" and "Alice in Wonderland" co-star Helena Bonham Carter.

The film is slated to open on May 31, 2013. It had originally been scheduled to debut on Dec. 21, 2012.

“The Lone Ranger” is written by Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio of “Pirates of the Caribbean,” Eric Aronson and Justin Haythe. The executive producers are Mike Stenson, Chad Oman, Ted Elliott, Terry Rossio, Eric Ellenbogen and Eric McLeod.