The Lone Ranger is turning into a very pricey disaster for Disney.
Gore Verbinski’s adaptation of the classic television series continues to make headlines as news of its poor box office performance spreads across the internet. If recent reports are to be believed, then Johnny Depp’s latest cinematic endeavor could end up losing a remarkable sum of money.
The Escapist reports that The Lone Ranger might result in a $150 million loss for Disney and Buena Vista. Depending on which website you reference, the studio reportedly dumped between $210 million and $225 million into the western. This is before you figure in promotional costs.
This remarks the second huge loss for Disney in as many years. According to CBS News , director Andrew Stanton’s John Carter was a significant box office flop for the studio last year. When all was said and done, Disney ended up losing $200 million on the project.
It’s a little surprising that The Lone Ranger met the same fate as John Carter . Not only was the film powered by the guy who directed three Pirates of the Caribbean films, it also starred Hollywood heartthrob Johnny Depp. It seemed like a recipe for box office success.
Many analysts predicted that The Lone Ranger could end up losing a significant amount of money during its theatrical run. However, industry insiders didn’t anticipate the movie flopping quite this hard over the extended holiday weekend.
According to The Hollywood Reporter , Cowen & Co. analyst Doug Cruetz previously predicted the movie would end up costing Disney around $100 million. Unfortunately for everyone associated with the movie, his prediction was off by around $50 million.
While the adaptation could easily rebound in foreign markets, it could be a while before that happens. The Inquisitr previously reported that Disney canceled Johnny Depp’s trip to China after government officials failed to lock down a proper release date for the film. It’s currently believed the film will arrive in the world’s second-largest film market this September.
What do you think about The Lone Ranger losing $150 million?
[Top Image via Buena Vista / Disney]