The Lone Ranger (2013)

[sillstaw 414]

I'm going to make a prediction and say that this will be worth covering when it comes out. Why?
1. It's a "Lone Ranger" movie that reportedly will focus on Tonto. Apparently, having your name as the title of the movie doesn't make you the star.
2. It's going to cost over $200 million. For a Western.
2A. It's going to cost that much likely because it reportedly involves werewolves. Quick--find an old person and ask how many episodes of "The Lone Ranger" had werewolves in it, or really anything supernatural. See if they don't get confused, smack you with their cane and tell you to get off their lawn.
2B. And it's going to involve werewolves, in spite of how few people ended up caring about the previous sci-fi/fantasy/what-have-you and Western hybrid, "Cowboys and Aliens."

[Johnny Unusual 525]

Hey, wait for it to come out first. then suggest it.

[RyanSz 3140]

Apparently the Werewolves were part of an early draft of the script which included Wendigos and an animated sequence, but it shot the budget up to 250 million, When production stopped the script was altered and the budget lowered to a semi-reasonable 200 million for a summer movie. My issue with the movie is they are making it seem that Tonto is the main character. I don't know if this is just gotcha marketing to bring people into the movie and then have the Lone Ranger be the actual focal point or if they are having Tonto as the lead because its Johnny Depp. My other issue is that the origin is changed from him being injured in an ambush to him coming back to life, which just seems hokey for a western.

[seanotron 2307]

Oh, this deserves to be discussed simply for the fact they cast Johnny Depp as a Native-American.

 

And yes, i'm aware he claims that somewhere along the line he has NA blood, but come on. Iron Eyes Cody was more Indian than Johnny Depp.

[RyanSz 3140]

[media='']https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8OLMQINOaA[/media]

[sillstaw 414]

Apparently the Werewolves were part of an early draft of the script which included Wendigos and an animated sequence, but it shot the budget up to 250 million, When production stopped the script was altered and the budget lowered to a semi-reasonable 200 million for a summer movie.

 

Yeah, I'm kind of disappointed they dropped that plot thread. Not that it seemed to help too much; I heard the movie was going overbudget because Gore Verbinski insisted on having the trains featured in the movie custom-built instead of using older ones or just CGI-ing them.

 

My issue with the movie is they are making it seem that Tonto is the main character. I don't know if this is just gotcha marketing to bring people into the movie and then have the Lone Ranger be the actual focal point or if they are having Tonto as the lead because its Johnny Depp.

 

From what I've heard, Johnny Depp wanted the movie to be more focused on Tonto. On one hand, it does make more sense to try and pitch the movie to audiences as "starring Johnny Depp" than it would to say, "Starring the male lead from 'Mirror Mirror!' Co-starring Johnny Depp!" On the other, it's not like he insisted on playing the Indian guy in that other Western he was in.

[RyanSz 3140]

https://www.youtube....h?v=s8OLMQINOaA

 

Go to the 40 second mark for the relevant funny. Dammit how do I embed videos in the comments?

 

 

From what I've heard, Johnny Depp wanted the movie to be more focused on Tonto.

 

Then call the movie Tonto rather than the Lone Ranger.

[seanotron 2307]

https://www.youtube....h?v=s8OLMQINOaA

 

Go to the 40 second mark for the relevant funny. Dammit how do I embed videos in the comments?

 

 

 

 

Then call the movie Tonto rather than the Lone Ranger.

 

It's okay, I knew which funny you were referring to. I love Archer.

[jarrycanada 2483]

I am going to go ahead and start writing my five star review now...

 

The lone ranger is a ground breaking action movie that will blow your socks off. Johnny Depp was born to play Tonto as it's clearly shown on screen. you can tell he has deep native roots and it can be seen on every frame of this film. if your looking for a action movie with heart then look no further. bah bah bah I'll fill in the rest later.....

[RyanSz 3140]

I think the 5 star reviews will be like a game of telephone. After a while it will go from Depp being partially Native American to finally "Hey did you hear that Johnny Depp is the Chief of the Cherokee Indians?"

[RyanSz 3140]

I am bumping this thread after seeing how badly is getting beat by both Despicable Me 2 and critics. With a current RT score of 22%, the controversy of Depp's Native American ancestry, along with DM2 doubling its box office on opening day, I am gonna go out on a limb and say this will be the biggest bomb of the summer if not the year. With a 215 million budget and the bad word of mouth, I don't think it will break even let alone make a profit.

 

I can see them doing this episode in the way that they did After Earth as a summer bust, and it would be great to dissect this shit storm. Also hearing Johnny Depp talk about now how he believes he's Native American from maybe a great grandmother. He doesn't even fully believe his own story anymore.

[imhatch 271]

johnny depp literally wears a dead bird on his head based purely on a painting by a white artist who was basically like "yeah i think aesthetics is more important than like, facts, so this isnt representative of any tribe it is just cool" so this is a new movie that is actually deserving

[RyanSz 3140]

What's funny is the studio has been saying that they have a Comanche representative on the set to help them. I'm laughing thinking to myself that they are just saying that because Johnny Depp is saying he's maybe a Native American.

[BagguhMcGuirk 104]

It will definitely make a profit. Even if it only makes 100 million domestically, which it will have made 50 of by Sunday, it will do very well internationally. Depp is a huge star and no matter the quality of the movie international audiences will go to see any summer action movie he's in.

 

All the Pirate's movies made 300-600 million more overseas and even The Tourist made over 200 million in the international market.

[justinmh05 1968]

Exactly! Even Dark Shadows went on to make $240 million overall thanks to overseas revenue.

[BagguhMcGuirk 104]

I do hope it bombs though, not because I want anyone involved to fail but because maybe it would make Depp start choosing better roles again. It's so strange that for so long all he took were roles based on what the character was like or the story that was being told, all while not making a ton of money. And now that he could live off only the money he makes from the Pirate's movies for 10 lifetimes, he seems to only care about movies that can pay him 20 million+.

 

Although even if this did bomb I don't think it would change how he picks roles now.

[RyanSz 3140]

It couldn't even make 10 million its opening day while DM2 tripled its take, many analysts are already saying it will be a miracle if it makes 45 million. And with all of the bad word of mouth coupled with Depp's last couple not being great to movie goers even though they paid to see them, I don't think it will make it. With all of the marketing they did for this movie, which was leaps and bounds better than John Carter, this movie should be raking in the dough. But if Disney is hoping to make an additional 500-600 million overseas, I think they will be upset about what happens.

 

Dark Shadows made money overseas as it was a large cult show and cult items in America can be national treasures overseas and The Tourist did well overseas as that movie was marketed overseas better than it was in the States. Pirates did well as the series got worldwide attention. The Lone Ranger is a very American niche character, larger than John Carter, but still niche to overseas markets. Add to that the movie is more Tonto than anything, and you can see that Disney is really hoping Depp's name sells this overseas despite being blasted by everyone. I'm sticking to my prediction that it will be the biggest summer bust though I think it should bring in more than John Carter which even with overseas sales, was still a bust.

[PhillipMedoc 648]

Yo, is this racist?

 

If they needed Depp, why not have him in the lead? No reason he couldn't be. Find an Native American actor to play Tonto. No, wait, just don't even do the movie because it's so problematic.

 

In 2013, it's absolutely insane that many layers of executives and creative types accepted that Tonto was an okay thing to do. This is a thing that needs to stop. It's so offensive, so incredibly offensive.

[jarrycanada 2483]

I agree with you cat & beard, Johnny Depp as the cowboy / Lone Ranger

charactor would have been a more better use of that actor and then they could of used a real native indian type actor to play Tonto.

 

I hope I am wrong about this but Johnny Depp is clearly playing Captain Jack in this film. he doesn't look like he's spent any time from the clips I've seen with any native amarican people. I haven't seen the movie yet.

[seanotron 2307]

Tonto in the TV series was Jay Silverheels, an actual First Nations actor. Somehow in 2013, we've managed to be less racially sensitive than a 1950s TV show. Good grief.

[robinsbruce 4985]

Tonto in the TV series was Jay Silverheels, an actual First Nations actor. Somehow in 2013, we've managed to be less racially sensitive than a 1950s TV show. Good grief.

 

This comment forever. This movie looks seriously bad.

[inactiveuser501 168]

As someone who doesn't plan to see this unless my aunt is offering to pay for the movies this week, is Helena Bonham Carter in this? Because I swear I saw her in the trailer, and this wouldn't be a non-Pirates Depp production without it.

[jarrycanada 2483]

I am going to flip out mad if they don't say "Hi-yo, Silver!" in this film.

[inactiveuser501 168]

Tonto in the TV series was Jay Silverheels, an actual First Nations actor. Somehow in 2013, we've managed to be less racially sensitive than a 1950s TV show. Good grief.

 

Also, Michael Horse, who played Tonto in the Razzie-Award Winning 1981 Bomb 'The Legend of the Lone Ranger', also has significant indigenous roots. THAT is bad.

[thestray 361]

Adrienne K, who has a blog that examines representations of indigenous peoples, wrote a pretty good review of the problematic aspects of this film, and how it's just not a good film period: http://nativeappropriations.com/2013/07/i-saw-the-lone-ranger-so-you-dont-have-to.html