According to Variety, Disney executives met with producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Gore Verbinski late Thursday to discuss the production budget. Instead of an immediate decision, the studio reportedly opted to mull over the filmmakers’ revised plan over the Labor Day weekend.
Disney halted production on the film after the budget came in around the $250-million range and reportedly requested that it be filmed in the $200 million-$215 million range.
Johnny Depp is set to star in “The Lone Ranger” as Tonto opposite Armie Hammer, who will play the title role. Variety said that Depp will not do the film unless Verbinski is the director.
Depp and Verbinski previously teamed on the first three films in Disney’s “Pirates of the Caribbean” series, as well as Paramount’s animated adventure “Rango.”
Disney previously announced that “The Lone Ranger” was set for a Dec. 21, 2012, release.
