Deadline is reporting that William Fichtner (The Dark Knight, Blades of Glory) has replaced Dwight Yoakam as the villain in Disney and Gore Verbinski’s feature film adaptation of “The Lone Ranger.”
Yoakam had to drop out due to scheduling conflicts. I’m actually more familiar with Fichtner’s body of works so I think I’d much prefer Fichtner over Yoakam. He has just completed filming Neill Blomkamp’s “Elysium” with Matt Damon and Jodie Foster, as well as “Phantom” opposite Ed Harris and David Duchovny.
Fichtner will be playing Butch Cavendish, the leader of the gang that attacks the Ranger (Armie Hammer) and leaves him for dead.
Fichtner will now join an impressive cast that also includes Armie Hammer, Johnny Depp, Barry Pepper, Tom Wilkinson, Helena Bonham Carter and James Badge Dale.
Filming is set to start in Texas and New Mexico staring mid-October, with a December 21st, 2013 release next year.
While I’m not terribly excited about Disney’s much troubled adaptation of “The Lone Ranger,” I do like westerns and I believe there’s potential.