Gore Verbinski’s adaptation of The Lone Ranger may have landed its leading man. Johnny Depp has been attached as Tonto for some time but the search for someone to don the mask has taken some time. Armie Hammer of The Social Network is in talks now for the role, per Deadline Hollywood, though no contract has been signed at the moment.
Verbinski’s version of Ranger, based on Revolutionary Road scribe Justin Haythe’s script, features a different take on the iconic hero.
“The only version of ‘The Lone Ranger’ I’m interested in doing is ‘Don Quixote’ told from Sancho Panza’s point of view…” Verbinski has said in the past. “And hence I was honest early on with Johnny that Tonto is the part. We’re not going to do it [straight], everyone knows that story. I don’t want to tell that story.”
What does this mean? It’s certainly an interesting choice for the role as Hammer seems to be the new flavor of the month. After a strong performance(s) in The Social Network he seems to be finding himself attached to plenty of high profile projects. If Verbinski is going through with his sort of ‘Don Quixote’ version of The Lone Ranger Hammer is an excellent pick opposite Depp because of his leading man look. By playing the buffoon as more of a straight man, and letting Depp bring the sort of inspired silliness that Captain Jack Sparrow has to Tonto, it could make for quite the interesting film.
What do you think? Is Hammer the right pick? Or is he just a flavor of the month, with someone else a better fit for the project?
