The Playlist

Preview: 20 Minutes Of 'Lone Ranger' Features Giant Trains, Possessed Rabbits And Palpable Chemistry

By Drew Taylor
|
April 25, 2013 2:37 PM
|
7 Comments

News

One of the biggest question marks of the summer is Disney's colossal "The Lone Ranger" reboot. Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Gore Verbinski, the epic western looks to contemporize the thirties pulp hero for modern audiences, with Armie Hammer donning the mask and white hat of the titular Ranger, with Johnny Depp, once again in kabuki make-up, assuming the role of Tonto, the Ranger's Native American sidekick and trusted friend. It's a big risk (like $250 million big) to spend so much money on a genre that has more or less been regulated to the sidelines. But last night at a special presentation in New York, Disney (along with Bruckheimer and Hammer, who were on hand for the event) previewed twenty minutes of footage from the movie, and made it known that "The Lone Ranger" can easily compete with all the superheroes and comic book movies the summer of 2013 has to offer.

More:

Watch: Giddy Up With 'The Lone Ranger' Super Bowl Trailer

By Kevin Jagernauth
|
February 3, 2013 5:56 PM
|
2 Comments

News

Don't double dip that chip. The Super Bowl spots continue to come, and now Disney has unleashed their new trailer for "The Lone Ranger" in the hopes that after your nacho cheese hangover later, you'll remember to buy a ticket to the newest Johnny Depp wardrobe blockbuster.

More:

Gore Verbinski To Bring North Korea To The Big Screen In Graphic Novel Adaptation 'Pyongyang'

By Kevin Jagernauth
|
January 29, 2013 2:45 PM
|
1 Comment

News

While his methods may keep studio accountants up at night, there's no denying that Gore Verbinski knows how to put spectacle on the big screen. Over the course of three "Pirates Of The Caribbean" movies he's made a lot of people a lot of money, while "Rango" showed he's got surreal flavors rolled up in his blockbuster sleeve. And while this summer's "The Lone Ranger" will hope to repeat his multiplex domination, for his next effort it looks like he's changing gears significantly.

More:

Watch: Good Man Must Wear Mask In Full Trailer For 'The Lone Ranger' With Johnny Depp & Armie Hammer

By Oliver Lyttelton
|
December 11, 2012 6:05 AM
|
3 Comments

News

Ten years ago, the first trailers were appearing for a hopeful big summer blockbuster that many thought was destined for disaster. The movie would be taking on a genre that had long since led to nothing but flops, starring some relative unknowns backed up by quirky character actor Johnny Depp, and would be based on source material that raised many an eyebrow. But the summer of 2003 saw "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl" become a monster hit, launching one of the biggest modern-day franchises, stretching to four movies to date, and turning Depp from beloved oddball to global megastar.

More:

Watch: First Trailer For 'The Lone Ranger' Features A Whole Bunch Of Trains, Surprisingly Little Johnny Depp

By Oliver Lyttelton
|
October 3, 2012 6:08 AM
|
11 Comments

News

If last year's "Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" proved anything, it's that perhaps Gore Verbinski had got a rough ride. The second and third movies of the Disney mega-franchise may have been bloated, indulgent and sometimes uninvolving, but they looked like masterpieces compared to Rob Marshall's fourth installment, which lacked the inventiveness, weirdness and... well, competent directing of Verbinski's original trilogy. And let's not forget that the first film remains one of the best summer blockbusters of the 21st century so far.

More:

New Photos Of Johnny Depp & Armie Hammer In 'The Lone Ranger'

By Kevin Jagernauth
|
October 1, 2012 8:57 AM
|
8 Comments

News

After nearly 150 shooting days, marked by delays due to dust and wind storms, and reported budget overruns, "The Lone Ranger" starring Johnny Depp and Armie Hammer has now wrapped filming. And now the editing process will begin as Gore Verbinski preps the movie for a summer release next year, but Disney is giving everyone a sneak peek today with a batch of new photos from TV show turned blockbuster.

More:

'The Lone Ranger' Is Over Budget & Behind Schedule With Rewrites Already Underway

By Kevin Jagernauth
|
June 13, 2012 9:45 AM
|
14 Comments

News

Well, you can't blame Disney for at least trying. Last year, already sensing that "John Carter" was going to be a costly disaster (which it turned out to be), Disney began tightening the reins on the other big expensive tentpole movie they had in development, "The Lone Ranger." And they had reason to be worried. Originally budgeted at $250 million, the studio forced director Gore Verbinksi and producer Jerry Bruckheimer to scale it back to $215 million, with some of the more razzle dazzle setpieces and sequences either cut out completely or reconfigured, and principal cast and filmmakers all taking pay cuts (though with more promised if the movie was a hit). Once the studio was happy, the film was back on track, but it looks like Verbinski's reputation that he earned on the 'Pirates Of The Caribbean' films for sending costs soaring is being lived up to again.

More:

'Rango' Collaborators Jim Byrkit & Alex Manugian Hired To Write Long-Developing 'Fraggle Rock' Movie

By Drew Taylor
|
May 31, 2012 10:57 AM
|
0 Comments

News

After years spent in development purgatory (everyone from Ahmet Zappa to "Hoodwinked" writer/director Cory Edwards have worked on the project, from as far back as 2006), it finally looks like the "Fraggle Rock" movie, based on the beloved Jim Henson series, will make it to the big screen. Last year New Regency got the project going again, and just yesterday the Hollywood Reporter revealed that a pair of screenwriters have been secured – Jim Byrkit and Alex Manugian, who both worked on last year's Oscar-winning animated western "Rango."

More:

Nick Nolte Wants His Money Back In 'Bitterroot'

By Kevin Jagernauth
|
April 28, 2012 12:10 PM
|
1 Comment

News

You need someone to play vulnerable and grizzled? Call up Nick Nolte. At 71, the actor's voice has never been more gravelly, nor his face more worn and he's been using it to great effect. He was outstanding in last year's unfairly slept-on "Warrior" and in many ways, he was emotional heartbeat of Michael Mann's canceled HBO series "Luck." He's been working at a clip lately, bagging supporting roles in Robert Redford's "The Company You Keep," "Gangster Squad" and "Parker" but now he's going to take a lead.

More:

Gore Verbinski Updates Us On 'The Lone Ranger,' Cary Fukunaga's 'Spaceless,' Chris Milk's 'Bitterroot' & More

By Drew Taylor
|
February 14, 2012 12:03 PM
|
1 Comment

News

Yesterday, we ran our conversation with "Rango" director Gore Verbinski, where he shared his inspirations for the Best Animated Feature nominee and discussed the development of the film's distinct and unique aesthetic. But with a director as talented and in-demand as Verbinski, he's got a number of movies in the works, either as director or producer. So we asked him to fill us in on a number of his projects, including "The Lone Ranger," Cary Fukunaga's sci-fi flick, "Clue," Chris Milk's "Bitterroot" and Nicolas Winding Refn's heist movie.

More: