The game of hardball between Disney, director Gore Verbinski and producer Jerry Bruckheimer seems to have come to an end, as Deadline reports that after all sorts of issues, the studio has finally given the Lone Ranger the green light.
Back in August it looked like things were all over for the movie, as Disney cancelled it when Verbinski said he couldn't make the film for less than $250-$275 million. Disney wanted it to cost $200 million or less. With neither side budging, the studio simply pulled the plug. Since then, Bruckheimer, Verbinski and Depp have all been working on making the film cheaper, and have also taken pay cuts. Portions of the script were also revised to keep most of the spectacle, but for a lower cost. It'll now cost $215 million, which the studio seems happy with.
Johnny Depp will star as Tonto, while Armie Hammer is set to portray the title character. Several other people, such as Helena Bonham Carter and Tom Wilkinson were cast in the film before it was cancelled, but it's not known if they'll stick around following the delays. A December 21, 2012 release date is still currently set for Lone Ranger, although that date seems likely to change since production isn't expected to begin until January or February of 2012 (Disney will announce later this week exactly when the film will shoot).