The Lone Ranger

[Kahran Ramsus]

I wonder if the Lone Ranger license actually hurt the film and if it would have been more marketable just to make an original story and advertise it basically as Pirates of the Caribbean in the Wild West.

 

[Rocketman]

There are just so many giant WTF's scattered throughout the film, I'm really tempted to say that the whole film is one of the worst monstrosities ever made.

- The old woman with the hot dog /ketchup on her cheek (and twice, mind you.... WHY?)
- The CGI demented rabbits
- Cavendish's one henchman who was into weird gay baby clothing
- The completely uncalled for sexual innuendo scattered throughout:
- Helena Bonham Carter's wooden leg and how Barry Pepper is reaching up to her you-know-what.
- When Lone Ranger finds Helena's cat and is blatantly about to say, "I found your pus.... Cat."

Like, come on, guys. What are you doing?

 

[Rocketman]

Disney saw all these things but the reason they couldn't say no is because it was the Pirates team and THIS was what they wanted to make. Also Rich Ross was kind of not doing well in his run as the Disney Studios head after replacing Dick Cook. He was getting heat for not really greenlighting any big releases. He didn't want to greenlight this, but Disny asked Verbinski to bring the budget down to $215 million and they did. And it still ended up going over budget anyway. What's ironic is Rich Ross ended up getting ousted right as this was going into production I think after John Carter came out and basically sealed his fate. Thing is, he didn't greenlight John Carter either, that was another project from the Cook regime. But the production all happened under Ross' watch.

I'm convinced that without Pixar, Disney really has no idea what the hell they're doing. No idea.

 

[Warhammer]

Jack Sparrow was always one of the leads of PIRATES, along with Barbossa. He had too much development and story focus, even in BLACK PEARL, to qualify as a supporting character. He just wasn't the main one until PIRATES 4.

Yeah, Sparrow was always a lead role. He was a co-lead with Turner and Swann, but still a lead. The problem was that they overdid Sparrow's zany behavior and mannerisms. In The Curse of the Black Pearl, they did it just enough for Sparrow to steal the show and be lovable. In the next three, they just went completely overboard with the antics. They milked it for more than it was worth and shoved Sparrow down our throats.

I wonder if the Lone Ranger license actually hurt the film and if it would have been more marketable just to make an original story and advertise it basically as Pirates of the Caribbean in the Wild West.

I would say that could be a reason if two-thirds of the people who will see this film actually knew who the Lone Ranger was.

 

[Warhammer]

I'm convinced that without Pixar, Disney really has no idea what the hell they're doing. No idea.

At least they got Marvel properties to bail them out. Lucky them.

 

[Ultimatehero]

I'm convinced that without Pixar, Disney really has no idea what the hell they're doing. No idea.

They've acquired Marvel and just recently Star Wars. So, Marvel, Star Wars, and Pixar - all MAJOR money earners. So, I'd say out of all of the studios they're the smartest at establishing franchises and knowing which franchises work. No other studio really has this power-hold that they've been building.

 

[Warhammer]

They've acquired Marvel and just recently Star Wars. So, Marvel, Star Wars, and Pixar - all MAJOR money earners. So, I'd say out of all of the studios they're the smartest at establishing franchises and knowing which franchises work. No other studio really has this power-hold that they've been building.

Yep, I completely forgot about Star Wars.

It's crazy. Disney has so much power, they can make a movie like John Carter and now a movie like The Lone Ranger and say "Eh, f*** it." They can essentially experiment with their films because Marvel, Pixar, and Star Wars will cover any and every loss. That is something that no major production company can even dream of doing at this point in time.

 

[Ultimatehero]

Yep, I completely forgot about Star Wars.

It's crazy. Disney has so much power, they can make a movie like John Carter and now a movie like The Lone Ranger and say "Eh, f*** it." They can essentially experiment with their films because Marvel, Pixar, and Star Wars will cover any and every loss. That is something that no major production company can even dream of doing at this point in time.

Exactly. Part of me is wondering if we might even see a Disney monopoly in the film business in the future if they keep this up and continue to "buy, buy, buy!" I mean they seem to be seriously going after buying the most powerful powerhouses and with Disney's money a part of me wonders if they could literally pull that off. Add to that the money they'll be pulling in from the non-ending string of Marvel and Star Wars films constantly coming out -- in ten years time, a part of me is really wondering what else they're going to set their eyes on buying at that time. That's why I'm seeing a Disney monopoly as being slightly possible because in five years time with Star Wars and MARVEL they'll practically own the summer.

I don't know why they think this movie is just like Pirate in a Western setting. Depp isn't playing the main character, like he did with Capt. Sparrow, although his Tonto ended up taking spotlights away from the "main" character of Lone Ranger.

Jack is like Han Solo. Will Turner (Orlando Bloom) is the protagonist of the first three films. Elizabeth is the love interest. Or rather Luke - Will, Leia - Elizabeth, Han - Jack.

 

[I SEE SPIDEY]

Tangled and Wreck-it-Ralph were not Pixar films and were well received hits. They aren't as big as Pixar's hits but they are hits none the less. So not only does Disney have Star Wars, Marvel and Pixar but they also have their own animated hits.

They are doing just fine. They could afford Lone Ranger, I just never got that kind of budget for a film that didn't have something as awesome as Ghost Pirates. I guess the Werewolves or whatever they cut would have been that? I don't know.

 

[Sawyer]

I'm convinced that without Pixar, Disney really has no idea what the hell they're doing. No idea.

Oh, well, I wasn't sure before, but now that you've confirmed it!

 

[rogue trooper]

Apparently he couldn't deliver his lines at all, but he was nice looking...they decided to keep him, but actor James Keach dubbed his voice. There have been several actors or actresses over the years who had this happen and went on to have decent careers (example: Andie McDowal was dubbed in the Tarzan movie GREYSTOKE)...but Klinton Spillsbury never did another movie.

In a related subject, wasn't Sam Jones' voice in Flash Gordon dubbed by another actor?

 

[bullets]

I was really hoping it would do well so people wouldn't be droning on about the box office and reasons why it failed. Dammit! John Carter all over again.

 

[rogue trooper]

These characters are not old hat.....They are as old as Batman or superman....how are those still hanging on??

Writing.....good story telling....

None of these got the Hollywood treatment they deserved!

I think John Carter did get a good treatment. The weak promotion killed it. The Phantom and The Shadow are certainly not "great" films, but they do have a certain charm that makes them watchable.

 

[Frodo]

These characters are not old hat.....They are as old as Batman or superman....how are those still hanging on??

Writing.....good story telling....

None of these got the Hollywood treatment they deserved!

The phrase"Old Hat" implies that something is old fashioned and out of date. Sherlock Holmes is older than all of them , but its been done, re-done, and adapted for the times several times over since the 1900's to 2013. Ditto with Batman and Superman.

Like it or not, LR, GH, The Shadow and the Phantom haven't been done a billion times and are characters as far as the GA is concerned, which are old fashioned and stuck in the radio and serial era.

True, characters like the Shadow haven't had good films , but on the other hand, the last time the GA was excited about them was the 1960's at the latest.

 

[Rowsdower!]

Eh, I thought The Shadow was alright, at least when I saw it. Granted, I was about 13 at the time, but I liked it.

The Phantom though... that film was god-awful. It was as if the actors were told to give the worst performances they possibly could. I'm glad it was made though, because it gave us one of the funniest Nostalgia Critic videos ever. It's the Purple Hamburglar!

 

[Octoberist]

Alec Baldwin was amazing as The Shadow.

 

[bullets]

I've never seen The Phantom , but they did try to revive it with a t.v. mini-series not too long ago. I don't think Phantom will be coming to the big screen anytime soon.

 

[Raiden]

Tangled and Wreck-it-Ralph were not Pixar films and were well received hits. They aren't as big as Pixar's hits but they are hits none the less. So not only does Disney have Star Wars, Marvel and Pixar but they also have their own animated hits.

I think having John Lasseter as the CCO of both Pixar and Disney Animation Studio had alot to do with Tangled and Wreck-it-Ralph's success. Basically Pixar is also controlling Disney's own animated movies, and it has paid dividend for them.

 

[I SEE SPIDEY]

I think having John Lasseter as the CCO of both Pixar and Disney Animation Studio had alot to do with Tangled and Wreck-it-Ralph's success. Basically Pixar is also controlling Disney's own animated movies, and it has paid dividend for them.

I didn't realize that, thanks for the info. I've liked those Disney movies better than proper Pixar movies as of late. It's an odd thing.

EDIT: Deadline has early numbers saying LR went up 1% yesterday so that's good news because it was expected to fall 25-30%.

 

[Project862006]

so they gonna cancel doc savage now since thats 2 pulp heroes who have bombed now

John Carter
Lone Ranger

 

[I SEE SPIDEY]

so they gonna cancel doc savage now since thats 2 pulp heroes who have bombed now

John Carter
Lone Ranger

I don't work in Hollywood so maybe there is a reason for these budgets but maybe they can try real hard and keep Doc Savage's budget under 250mil? Maybe that won't be easy but they could at least try for once? You know so the movie will have a better chance of being successful.

 

[Bruce Malone]

They've acquired Marvel and just recently Star Wars. So, Marvel, Star Wars, and Pixar - all MAJOR money earners. So, I'd say out of all of the studios they're the smartest at establishing franchises and knowing which franchises work. No other studio really has this power-hold that they've been building.

Yeah that's their M.O at this point. They realize they aren't that successful anymore at creating their own content so they've taken to purchase other companies to do so.

Nothing wrong with that but the actual "disney" name attached to a film doesn't carry much weight anymore it seems, unless you hear pixar or marvel and soon the be Lucasfilms was involved.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Jack Sparrow should have never been bumped up to lead in the Pirates sequels. He's best as the lovable supporting character.

Zod yes. So true.

 

[Rocketman]

Alec Baldwin was amazing as The Shadow.

I totally agree.

In an alternate universe, Tim Burton's 1989 Batman starred Baldwin as Batman, and David Bowie as The Joker.

 

[super-t]

I liked the movie. It was fun and entertaining. BUT the biggest problem I had was that they decided to go SO goofy that every time the "serious" moments happened I just couldn't take them seriously. I think they should have gone with a more "Mask of Zorro" tone as opposed to "Wild Wild West." Had they taken the movie seriously maybe not quite "Appoloosa" serious but you get the idea, it would have been MUCH better.