Disney halts Johnny Depp's 'Lone Ranger' over budget issues

Washington, August 14 (ANI): Walt Disney has scrapped off the production of the much-anticipated big-screen adaptation of 'The Lone Ranger', starring Johnny Depp and Armie Hammer as the title character, due to financial troubles. According to the Hollywood Reporter, the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' star was due to act in the retelling of the 1949 television western as the masked Texas Ranger's partner Tonto. The production of the movie has come to a halt due to financial reasons rather than creative differences. A source has revealed that director Gore Verbinski was demanding a high budget for the film. "Gore doesn't want to budge for what he thinks a movie like this needs," Contactmusic quoted the source as saying. Another apprehension haunting them was that the movie was a western and the genre has recently been mauled with the failure of 'Cowboys and Aliens'. "The fact that it's a Western is a definite concern," said another insider. (ANI)