Mar 28 2008'Lone Ranger' is Getting Brucked
Jerry Bruckheimer has a reputation for finding ways to fill any movie with enough star power, CGI, and/or explosions to pander to the unwashed masses, no matter what the subject. But after bringing life to the non-existent ghost-pirate-Disney-ride genre with Pirates of the Caribbean, can even the man often dubbed an "über-producer" revitalize the waning Lone Ranger franchise? I guess we'll find out, as Jerry and Disney have plans to try bringing the masked cowboy to screens.
Bruck has some of his best men (the writers of Pirates) on the script, but trade mag The Hollywood Reporter still doubts the ascotted horseman's viability in modern times, noting such problems as "wearing a mask, using only silver bullets, [and] a creed that includes not killing your fellow man." So apparently the thin line between Batman-level popularity and increasing cultural obscurity is drawn at the ability to kill a werewolf?
Disney preps 'Lone Ranger' remake [Hollywood Reporter]
Reader Comments
1. PB&J - March 28, 2008 2:44 PM
Easy...
Take one Antonio Banderas' Zorro
Remove accents
Replace sword with revolver
Substitute white horse for black horse
Add dialog for redskin buddy (played by Jackie Chan)
Title 'Lonesome Cowboy'
$ Cha-ching $
2. momboelitist - March 28, 2008 4:07 PM
"revitalize the waning Lone Ranger franchise"?
I wasn't aware that it was "waning" or even relevant enough to be waning.
3. Mark - March 28, 2008 4:30 PM
The article pointed out that a TV movie had been tried as recently as 2003, so I was giving it some relevancy credit for that. But I agree that saying it's "waning" was a drastic understatement.
4. Bruce Roberts - March 29, 2008 12:01 AM
Did you know that the person who managed the Lone Ranger franchise was also the man who built the Disneyland Hotel. When Jack Wrather sold the Hotel to Disney he also offered Michael Eisner the right to The Lone Ranger but Eisner turned that down saying there was nothing he could think of. So the right were sold to someone else, who kept the franchise very much alive with Video Releases of all the old TV shows. Now that company is going down the bucket for other reasons and offered the Lone Ranger Franchise back to DIsney, for a very high price. So Disney had the chance to have the Lone Ranger for next to nothing but passed and not they have to pay a heavy price to get this back. I am exited as I can think of seeing the Ranger and Tonto making appearances in Frontierland. What better example of a "Hero" for kids to look up today, because they are sure short on "Heroes" for kids. Rap stars, Drunk Rock Stars, and other examples of the "Fast Life" the stupid stars live. I don't think so. I grew up with the Lone Ranger first on Radio then on TV. When Clayton Moore passed away I was a grown man and didn't know about it until I got the morning paper on the way to work. I was looking at it when I saw the notice. I cried while crossing the street. I idolized this man and what he stood for as I grew up and I think I am a better person because of him, and the other heroes from that bygone era, Roy Roger, Gene Autry and so many others.
5. ted - March 29, 2008 5:43 AM
HJe is a cool lover too. See him have sexy relations with canned meat at w e a l t h y s p a m dot com.
6. SlowMonkey - March 29, 2008 8:13 AM
I wonder how many times he'll have the Lone Ranger holler "tonto" at the Indian. "Tonto" means "stupid".
7. SlowMonkey - March 29, 2008 8:16 AM
For those of you who will inevitably ask, from Wiktionary:
Adjective
tonto m (f tonta, m plural tonti, f plural tonte)
stupid, silly, dumb, foolish
[edit] Noun
tonto m. (plural tonti) (Feminine: tonta)
A stupid person
8. Grover - March 29, 2008 11:10 PM
@SlowMonkey
It sure does mean stupid...in Spanish, not in any native american language.
"Bruck has some of his best men"
I can't believe you passed on the "top men" reference there.
9. SlowMonkey - March 30, 2008 9:40 AM
@10 It seems inappropriate as many Mexicans are part Indian (and part Caucasian) and just as many English words are avoided, so would it would seem that some common Spanish ones would be avoided. Evidently not - in Maricopa county is Tonto National Forest. Yes, I laugh at that too.
10. Praz - April 1, 2008 2:20 PM
If they add a homoerotic relationship between the Lone Ranger and Tonto, they can just make this a sequel to Brokeback Mountain; you know, since that's how Hollywood likes to sell movies.