Depp and Bruckheimer blame critics

Johnny Depp, Bruckheimer Blame Critics for ‘Lone Ranger’ Disaster

Armie Hammer adds: the reviews 'slit the jugular' of Disney feature

By Stuart OldhamJohnny Depp and producer Jerry Bruckheimer have spoken out for the first time since mega-budget Western “The Lone Ranger” crumbled at the global box office, blaming U.S. critics for one of the biggest Hollywood trainwrecks of the year.

“I think the reviews were written seven to eight months before we released the film,” Depp proclaims in a new interview.

Disney’s costly feature, which could lose as much as $190 million, never stood a chance of succeeding because of overtly negative press, according to the Oscar-nominated actor.

“I think the reviews were written when they heard Gore (Verbinski) and Jerry (Bruckheimer) and me were going to do ‘The Lone Ranger’,” Depp said. “They had expectations that it must be a blockbuster. I didn’t have any expectations of that. I never do.”

Bruckheimer, who made millions off the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise with Depp, agreed when it came to the press’ coverage.

“I think they were reviewing the budget, not reviewing the movie,” Bruckheimer told Yahoo U.K.-Ireland. “The audience doesn’t care what the budget is—they pay the same amount if it costs a dollar or 20 million dollars.”These claims are ridiculous, of course. A child could point to big-budget movies that critics loved, and movies that made big profits despite negative reviews.

One writer easily swatted away the claims of Depp and company. His conclusion:

Johnny Depp, Don't Shoot the Messenger for 'Lone Ranger' Flop

By Alonso DuraldeIt’s admittedly very flattering, gentlemen, that you think that the critical establishment is responsible for the catastrophic domestic box-office performance of “The Lone Ranger,” but it’s also hilarious.

If film critics could destroy a movie, Michael Bay and Adam Sandler would be working at Starbucks. If film critics could make a movie a hit, the Dardenne brothers would be courted by every studio in town.

“The Lone Ranger” stunk so much so that audiences got an immediate whiff and stayed away.

End of story.'The Lone Ranger' to Cost Disney $160-$190M in Q4

By Lucas ShawDisney will take a write-down of $160 to $190 million in the next fiscal quarter, the company said during its earnings call on Tuesday.

"The Lone Ranger" has grossed just $175.5 million at the global box office, a pittance for a movie that cost more than $200 million to produce–and millions more to market. Though it opened in theaters in the third quarter, its main hit to the company's bottom line will not be reported until the next quarter given recent changes in reporting standards.

The marketing costs of that film still submarined profits at the company's film studio, which reported a 36 percent decline in profits for the third quarter on Tuesday.In reality, critics have never had less influence over a movie's success. Duralde rightly put the blame where it belongs: on Depp and his stupid filmmaking moves. Including his stereotypical portrayal of Tonto.

For more on Johnny Depp and Tonto, see Skyhawk: Depp Dishonored Indians and Why The Lone Ranger Flopped.