While Disney negotiates, and rumors swirl about whether or not Johnny Depp will take on another challenging fantasy role in “Oz, the Great and Powerful,” one thing seems fairly certain: we’re going to see him portray everyone’s favorite sidekick, Tonto.
That’s right. Lately, Depp has been talking about his upcoming film, “The Lone Ranger,” which will reunite him with director Gore Verbinski and executive producer Jerry Bruckheimer, both of whom he worked with on the original Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy. He likes the humorous approach that the screenwriters are taking – but he also likes the chance to honor his Native American heritage through his portrayal. Says Depp:
“I think it’s going to be good, when we have a chance to put it up on its feet. What we’ve got so far screenplay-wise is really great, really funny. I always felt Native Americans were badly portrayed in Hollywood films over the decades. It’s a real opportunity for me to give a salute to them. Tonto was a sidekick in all the Lone Ranger series. [This film] is a very different approach to that partnership. And a funny one I think.”
