'Prince of Persia' Helmer Circles Around 'The Lone Ranger'

© Terry Thompson/PR Photos

After helming "Prince of Persia: Sands of Time", Mike Newell could tackle yet another Jerry Bruckheimer-produced movie, "The Lone Ranger". The possibility was suggested by Production Weekly, which mentioned that the director "is in talks" to direct the big screen adaptation of the popular masked Texas ranger.

Of the report posted on its Twitter page Thursday, April 30, Production Weekly wrote, "Mike Newell is in talks to direct Terry Rossio & Ted Elliott's big screen adaptation of "The Lone Ranger" at Disney." If Newell is indeed joining the production team of the action adventure movie, the "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" director will once again team up with his "Donnie Brasco" star Johnny Depp, who is set to star as Tonto.

Adapted from George W. Trendle's classic old-time radio and early television show of the same name, "The Lone Ranger" resolves around a masked Texas Ranger who survived the deathly ambush by a gang of outlaws. Accompanied by his native American assistant Tonto and white horse named Silver, he sets his sight to bring every outlaws in the Old West to justice. "Pirates of the Caribbean" scribblers Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio will pen the adaptation.

Mike Newell is an English director who began his career in feature film making a made-for-TV film entitled "The Man in the Iron Mask" in 1977. Since then, he has helmed a number of movies, including "The Awakening", "Four Weddings and a Funeral", "Pushing Tin", "Mona Lisa Smile" and "Love in the Time of Cholera". In the official website of author Terry Brooks, he is noted to be attached to direct "The Elfstones of Shannara".