THE LONE RANGER is not dead - producers and director discuss budget cuts

Earlier we reported that Disney had stopped production on The Lone Ranger. This was pretty shocking seeing as how Gore Verkbinski was to direct Armie Hammer and Johnny Depp in the film based on the classic Western TV serial. The production stoppage was a result of an out of control budget that had skyrocketed to $250 million. We then reported that the high budget was a result of the story that was to include a werewolf and feature tons of CGI effects.

Deadline reports that the stuido is giving Verbinski a week to reshape the script and and bring costs down significantly. The studio needs the budget to be around $200 million, so it seems as though it will be very difficult to ever drop that much. Many associated with the project believe the budget pressures will be impossible to bring Jerry Bruckheimer-produced movie to the starting line by the Fall start date. It's reported that the budget gap "can only be bridged by Verbinski reimagining some of the bigger sequences and a few "give-backs" from the talent -- moves that those working on the film have been uninterested in making."

Those involved with the project say it's Verbinski who holds the key to the success of the cutback.  Verbinski has reportedly brought the budget down to $242 million to $244 million, but the studio would like it to get closer $215 million or less. Verbinski and Bruckheimer have given up a total of $10 million from their fees, but it appears unlikely that the filmmakers will reduce the budget further. The Lone Ranger would have to gross about $800 million worldwide to be profitable if everything is factored in. 

Disney CEO Robert Iger recently stated, "It's our intention to take a careful look at what films cost, and if we can't get them to a level that we're comfortable with, we think that we're better off actually reducing the size of our slate than making films that are bigger and increasingly more risky."       

I hate to say this, but I think that I would be just fine if this did not move forward  at all. One of the only ways I can see the budget cuts work is if Verbinski or Depp drop out. The idea Disney supporting a film without Depp that costs this much is highly unlikely. If I were in the production teams shoes I would take a gamble and not take as much up front and hope it did well to recieve points on the back end and agree to make plot changes. 

What area your thoughts?