Dwight Yoakam to Battle The Lone Ranger?

Casting is moving steadily forward on Gore Verbinki's The Lone Ranger. Variety reports that Helena Bonham Carter, James Badge Dale, Barry Pepper and Dwight Yoakam are all in talks to appear.

Described by Verbinksi as "'Don Quixote' told from Sancho Panza's point of view," the film will star Armie Hammer as the titular western hero with Johnny Depp as his Native American sidekick, Tonto. Ruth Wilson and Tom Wilkinson are also expected to appear.

Yoakam would portray the film's central villain, Butch Cavendish with Carter a brothel madam and Pepper appearing as 7th Cavalry Captain J. Fuller. Dale's potential role, meanwhile, is that of Dan Reid, brother to the Ranger's alter ego, John Reid. (Though it is now a very separate property, the original radio program suggested that the Reids of The Lone Ranger were the ancestors of Britt Reid, AKA The Green Hornet).

Production should begin later this year with a release planned for December 21, 2012.



(Photo Credit: Adriana M. Barraza / Lia Toby / Katherine Christine / WENN.com)