The Lone Ranger has been a project plagued with problems throughout its shoot. The film’s budget ballooned up to $250 million (possibly more), plus there’s the more recent news of a crew member drowning while preparing an underwater action sequence. However, it appears that the shoot is finally nearing its end.
Today, The Hollywood Reporter has announced that the film should wrap at the end of September for a shoot that will have lasted between 140 and 150 days.
The film, which stars Johnny Depp and Armie Hammer, started filming on February 28th, but due to the problems above (as well as wind and dust storms and Depp being injured from a fall from a horse), the project suffered delays.
This obviously isn’t the longest shoot on record, that belongs to Stanley Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut, but it’s certainly much longer than the studio wanted. Many who’ve worked with Gore Verbinski, director of The Lone Ranger, have said that he likes to go for authenticity and scope, which caused massive sets to be built. One insider simply said that “he likes to shoot and shoot and shoot.”
This could indeed cause more delays, but with the amazing look he brought to his three Pirates of the Caribbean films, it could also mean another beautifully-designed film. As for the story, we’ll just have to wait and see.
Hopefully it will all have been worth it when The Lone Ranger finally hits theaters on July 3rd, 2013.