Thumbing its nose at Doomsday panderers, the Walt Disney Company has slated to start shooting the latest rendition of “The Lone Ranger,” starring Johnny Depp as (God help us!) Tonto.
Now, as I understand it, Depp’s Tonto will actually be the lead and the Lone Ranger will be the second banana.
In an interview, Depp had this to say:
"I remember watching (“The Lone Ranger”) as a kid, with Jay Silverheels and Clayton Moore, and going: 'Why is the f--ing Lone Ranger telling Tonto what to do?’ I liked Tonto, even at that tender age, and knew Tonto was getting the unpleasant end of the stick here. That's stuck with me. And when the idea came up (for the movie), I started thinking about Tonto and what could be done in my own small way try to -- 'eliminate' isn't possible -- but reinvent the relationship, to attempt to take some of the ugliness thrown on the Native Americans, not only in The Lone Ranger, but the way Indians were treated throughout history of cinema, and turn it on its head."
Starting next month, the $215 million epic (that’s right, $215 million to make a cowboy flick), produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Gore Verbinski, will start shooting in New Mexico around Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Shiprock and other areas. The New Mexico location set the state’s film commission buzzing. Already home to studios dubbed Tamalewood, where the forthcoming “Avengers” movie was shot last year, much of the $215 million will be infused into the state’s economy.
However, in all fairness, you have to be asking: “What the hell does The freaking Long Ranger have to do with Doomsday?
Well, let me explain. Originally, “The Lone Ranger” was scheduled to open on…wait for it…December 21, 2012! Doomsday! Armageddon! End of Days!
However, the opening date was pushed further ahead to May 31, 2013. Now, I ask you, would a successful, predatory, really, really scary TV/film/amusement park empire like the Walt Disney Corporation spend $215 million for a movie slated to open more than five months after Doomsday if there was going to be a Doomsday? I think not!
The Mouse House is betting on no Armageddon and laying its bucks on a bit of revisionist pandering that will eviscerate the beloved Lone Ranger!
In the end, it’ll be Doomsday 0, The Lone Ranger 0
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