Image Credit: Solarpix/PR Photos; Everett CollectionJohnny Depp is still planning to star in Disney’s planned big screen version of The Lone Ranger, he tells EW exclusively. “I think it’s going to be good, when we have a chance to put it up on its feet,” says Depp of the project. The actor will play the role of Tonto in the project, which is being produced by Jerry Bruckheimer with original Pirates of the Caribbean director Gore Verbinski attached to helm. “What we’ve got so far screenplay-wise is really great, really funny.”
Depp, who is part Cherokee, feels a special connection to the role of Tonto. “I always felt Native Americans were badly portrayed in Hollywood films over the decades,” he says. “It’s a real opportunity for me to give a salute to them. Tonto was a sidekick in all the Lone Ranger series. [This film] is a very different approach to that partnership. And a funny one I think.”
For more about Johnny Depp’s future movies, the fourth Pirates of the Caribbean film On Stranger Tides, and all the rest of the stuff you’ll be watching, hearing, and reading in 2011, pick up the new 2011 Preview! issue of Entertainment Weekly.
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Oh dear.
If Johnny, who’s from Kentucky, can convince (me) that he’s part Indian, then I’m for it….but it seems that whites are already dominating Hollywood roles…you would think they could find a Latino male, or Indian male to play the part.
If anybody noticed the awards showss on TV recently, it was a sea of white faces. This country is part Black American, part Asian and Latino, and you tell me what Hollywood can’t find good materials for non-whites? something is wrong here.
Okay, he stated he’s part Cherokee, I guess I can get with that.
Get over it From Chicago. Depp is part Cherokee, among other things. By the way, I did see Halle Berry at the Golden Globes. She’s not all white.
actually there are a lot of people of native american decent specifically cherokee in kentucky and tenessee and north carolina. It would not suprise me a bit that he would be.
I agree. I saw too few people of color in the audience. Last year a popular magazine had “the new faces of Hollywood”story on it cover with the article inside, and there was not one person of color.
Yes get over it, one half black person in Hollywood makes everything ok!
somebody has to write the part to fit the image. simple as that. so Banderas should play tonto?
Johnny Depp is sexy. Thats why he is the right guy for the job…it doesn’t matter what his decent it…he’s HOTTT – WITH 3 Ts!
Jimi Hendrix was 1/4 Cherokee, is that to supposed to mean anything? I wonder why anyone attaches any importance to these things, including Depp.
Cause they’re Rich and White so they can make things the way they want them. Asians are annoying anyhow.
If the character is Native American, the actor should be Native American. Kuddos to Johnny Depp.
Insult to native actors everywhere. Another part taken by a white actor pretending to be native. I hope it bombs.
Why complain about Holywood being all white, how about all those Latino TV stations that are all …. yes … get ready … Latino … you’d think they could find some whites for them Latino parts.
Hey Sittingbull, take out your wallet and check to see if you have any $20′s in it. I’ll bet you do, hypocrite.
Depp will do a great job, while a more natural looking Indian would seem more real, the fact is there are very few with the experience or name recognition needed and that needs to change.
To those wondering where the color is in Hollywood, it’s because ticket payers don’t want to see their movies. Only a handful have success, because they choose not to sell-out and play stereotypical gangsta and slave rolls. Acting like any other job requires years of honing the skill, paying your dues, and getting noticed. You can’t instantly start having 100 more persons of color at the GG or Oscars, when they havent done anything to deserve to be there.
Wow Cygnus…so what you’re saying is people of color don’t have any training which is why they can’t get any roles and white people are clearly trained and spend years on their craft and this is why they get roles. Plus the fact that America doesn’t really want to see people of color whose roles are notoriously gangstas and slaves. I’m just trying to make sure I got all your sweeping generalizations down. Ok Got it…thanks!
electric52 hit the nail on the head. Wanna know what movies primarily star blacks and latinos? Movies about the ‘black’ or ‘latino’ ‘experience’. That crap is BOOOORING. White actors comewithout the hangups that minorities have. Maybe Hollywood can be like the NFL and throw a bone by interviewing one actor of color for every role. Actually no, that would be crap.
Gee, get over it. Affirmative Action in Hollywood??? Just go by talent – instead of bashing Hollywood then maybe one can boost the potential that the “minorities” didn’t receive. Heck, why not *privately* sponsor a minority to become the next Tom Cruise.
Why should anyone be given special treatment based on race or gender? The white male this is well overrated – heck just go to a court room – they’re the most discriminated bunch in there!
Uh, what poor spelling:
The white male thing is well overrated – heck just go to a court room – they’re the most discriminated against bunch in there!
SEE ITS PPL LIKE THAT why the color line will never disappear.. who cares wat races they are as long as the play the part….
I agree there are many brilliant native american actors who can take these roles…also not sure if this is true, but mo Mom always says there’s a law that these roles have to be played by actors of the ehnic origin of the character.
johnny has been in a few indian character movies. in his bio it tells about his family and his indian ansestery.
by the way….why so racist. this is 2011. get a life.
Who is going to play the Lone Ranger?
Heard about this a year ago. At that time Depp wanted George Clooney.
I was looking up articles and saw this has been in the works since 2008. I’m not going to hold my breath.
a good choice for the lone ranger would be……..suspense and hushhhhhh…….ben aflak9I CAN NOT SPELL SORRY0 or matt damion.
Sweet Mother of Sarah Palin, why oh why does he need to do this?! Impeach the One-Termer.
Irrellevent Republican political spam: How completely tacky.
It’s spelled “irrelevant”. Of course a tacky worshipper of the criminal One-Termer would get that wrong. HAH! FACT!
Go away.
It might be watchable… as long as it does not star Will Ferrell as The Lone Ranger.
Brad Pitt should play Lone Ranger, would be great casting these 2 in a movie!!
No, Seth Rogen! He’s on a roll!
Seth Rogen can’t act himself out of a paper bag unless he can say the “F” word about a 150 times or more during a movie.
That’s a better diea than you think…in the comics, the lone ranger is a direct ancestor of the Green Hornet and they both share the last name…Reid
You’re both being completely unoriginal and unimaginative… how about someone completely unexpected? It’s supposed to be a comedy (so says Depp), so how about someone like Patrick Warburton?
Yess i totally agree with you bagabou!
Dear Johnny,
The Lone Ranger is not supposed to be “really funny.” Smells like Wild Wild West part 2.
“The Lone Ranger is not supposed to be “really funny.” Smells like Wild Wild West part 2.”
Wild Wild West 2 was already done. It’s called “The Green Hornet.”
Did you know that The Green Hornet and the Lone Ranger are related?
Johnny Depp is awesome. Will Smith, not so much.
Sounds like it’s going to be “Tonto & the Lone Ranger.” Politically correct, undoubtedly. Still, Gore Verbinski gave us three entertaining “Pirates” movies, so I’ll reserve judgment ’til I see it.
I thought it was a joke when they said he would play Tonto. I had to read it about three times. Weird.
No, Gore Verbinski gave us one good Pirates movie and two annoying sequels with the unbearable “Turners”
Absolutely correct.
no, bore verbinski gave us 3 great pirate movies and heres hoping 4, 5,and 6 are all good too.
This will be bad. The original Lone Ranger actually showed Tonto as the Lone Ranger’s friend and as close to an equal as any movie from the time. As I sidekick goes he was much closer to an equal than most sidekicks in westerns. And he was played by a real native american.
I have to guess it will be an over-the-top spoof as gay crusaders but I can’t wait to see how they get past what today will be an impossible line: ‘Hi-Ho Silver, AWAY!’
Basta. I can’t take any more cartoon movies about D list superheroes. We’re not talking about Superman. This is a black and white TV show from the 50′s.
Lone Ranger was a superhero? I thought of him as a masked vigilante. Same thing?
What do you think Batman is? …except on the 60′s show where they made a point of saying he was ” a duly deputized agent of the law.”
@Shiny: Before that, the Lone Ranger was an extremely popular radio show in the thirties. The character’s been around longer than most of those characters I’d consider to be superheroes–including Superman.
I LOVE this idea!!! The Lone Ranger was a huge hit in the 50s. I would cast Will Smith as the Lone Ranger to Depp’s Tonto. Great fun! Who’s gonna play the horses: Silver and Scout???
Will Smith in the old west…what could possibly go wrong?!
LOL!!!!!!!!
You win a lifetime supply of EVERYTHING, Mole.
Funniest retort EVAH!
Can’t wait. When Johnny D. is having fun, we the audience have fun too! Pirates of the C, Alice in Wonderland, Willy Wonka, etc. He rocks when he gets to “play.” Bet this will be wonderful.
Notice anything funny about the movies you listed? They are all copies of older productions. Not one new idea on the list. This is what Depp has chosen to typecast himself as. An “actor” that is too insecure to chose an original role……just go with the one that makes the bucks. Feed America old rehashed ideas, take their money, and laugh all the way to the bank. Hollywood is eating you alive and you don’t even know it.
I’m with you, laughing all the way to the bank of Hollywood. But I must point out that we’re all adding to this including yourself. By posting here you adding to the hype. And Hollywood just keeps rolling along. Johnny Depp earned his stripes and did only the roles he felt he could add something to. The first Pirates was never expected to be a blockbuster, but he made it so. Now he takes projects not necessarily for the money but for the fans. He does the things he thinks the fans want to see, he doesn’t need the money. He’s always there to pay attention to the fans becaue he beieves that they are the ones keeping him employed. Like him or hate him, if you pay any attention, you’ll find that he’s a person of intregrity in a smoke and mirrors profession.
Notice something funny? “Pirates” wasn’t a copy of an old production, it was an original story based on an amusement park ride.
loosen up hemmorhoid!
Dave, you sound like a pretentious tool. You took the time to comment and probably have seen all of the movies you mentioned. I bet you don’t watch t.v. either.
No they are not “copies”. How can a film of a book be a “copy”? Are any of the films of Henry V, Macbeth or Romeo & Juliet copies?
As said above POTC was a highly original story using characters and themes from a ride! So in fact none of the 3 things mentioned, Alice, Charlie or POTC are copies at all!
I want the Dark Shadow reboot! Then I will be willing to see JD in any other reboot, but DS first, please.
Also, any idea yet on who would play the Lone Ranger?
Susan, I totally agree with Dark Shadows!! Barnabas can have one side of my neck, Sweeney Todd the other!
I’m on the same wavelength as you gals!
Don’t confuse remake with “reboot”.
We’re the Hakowi. I suspect this will look more like F-Troop’s Indians than anything else.
Jon Hamm would make a good Lone Ranger.
GREAT idea!!
That was my first choice too!
Christian Bale as the Lone Ranger with Depp as Tonto must happen!
I agree with Jwald; Christian Bale as the Lone Ranger and Johnny Depp as Tonto sounds great. I hope it is nothing like The Wild, Wild West (1999) or Jonah Hex (2010). I also hope it’s a 2D movie, not a 3D film.
Sorry, it’s going to be a JD movie, not a 3D movie.
oh my god, my head would implode.
How about Clooney for the Lone Ranger. He hasn’t done a Western yet has he?
Bruce Campbell would have been perfect, 15 years ago : (
Ryan Reynolds would be quite enjoyable. Johnny, total hotness
Jon Hamm would be an amaze choice for the Lone Ranger!
Jon Hamm for the Lone Ranger would be the best choice!
I saw Jon Hamm at the Globes the other night. He’s kind of strange looking. What’s up with his mouth?