The only way I can think this can work is if they make him a little more "rough" - ditch the white hat for a more typical cowboy hat, maybe keep the red bandana, get rid of the blue outfit (or at least dirty it up a bit), make the mask more rugged and make him a little more bad-ass. I have always liked the character, so I hope thay can pull it off - should be in good hands with Bruckheimer... here is the piece as reported in Variety

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Disney preps 'Lone Ranger' remake

Writers Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio are going from "shiver me timbers!" to "Hi-ho Silver!"

The writing duo, best known for their work on the "Pirates of the Caribbean" films, are in final negotiations to write a live-action big-screen adaptation of "The Lone Ranger" for Disney and producer Jerry Bruckheimer.

The project will be made by Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer Films in association with Entertainment Rights.

"Ranger," owned by Classic Media, began life as a 1930s radio show. Its popularity led to movie serials, TV shows, comic strips and comic books, toys, novels and more.

The hero's origin story begins with a group of Texas Rangers chasing down a gang of outlaws led by Butch Cavendish. The gang ambushes the Rangers, seemingly killing them all. One survivor is found, however, by an American Indian named Tonto, who nurses him back to health. The Ranger, donning a mask and riding a white stallion named Silver, teams up with Tonto to bring the unscrupulous gang and others of that ilk to justice.

Despite the long-standing presence in pop culture, however, "Ranger" has not enjoyed success in modern times. The character's most recent shot at the big screen, 1981's "The Legend of the Lone Ranger," failed so badly that the film's star, Klinton Spilsbury, never worked in Hollywood again. In 2003, WB Network aired a TV movie that served as a backdoor pilot, but it also bit the dust.

Part of the problems are the character's tropes -- wearing a mask, using only silver bullets, a creed that includes not killing your fellow man, the exclamation "Hi-yo Silver, away!" -- which can seem musty to today's audiences.

Rossio and Elliott, however, do have experience bringing back genres that seemed passe. The CAA-repped duo wrote "The Mask of Zorro," the hit adventure movie featuring one of the Ranger's contemporaries, as well as Disney's "Pirates" franchise, which breathed new life into the old skull and crossbones.

Bruckheimer is producing "Ranger," and Bruckheimer Films' Mike Stenson and Chad Oman are executive producing. Jason Reed is overseeing at Disney.

Hmmm...

If they really get into the Texas Ranger stuff, focus on the ambush and how the lone surviving Ranger became the Lone Ranger maybe this could work.

Keep the mask, update the outfit, and have him act as a Texas Ranger on steroids (Dirty Harry of the Wild West) and I think they may have a winner.

We'll see what happens. I'd love to see it work - I love Westerns. (And, especially, the old radio show Tales of the Texas Rangers starring Joel McRea, which I think in and of itself would make one hell of a great movie series. Check it out: http://www.archive.org/details/TalesOfTheTexasRangers )

They probably want someone younger (for sequels), but I think Josh Holloway would be a great Lone Ranger.

Lone Ranger has returned to the comics in the last couple of years and they're pretty damned good. Hopefully the movie captures the flavor/tone of the new comics.

Yay Hollywood!!!

It's Disney. Of course it's not going to be. Although, having Bruckheimer certainly allows us to think there's potential.

Wikey wild wikey wild wild west!

Wait, will this be the cowboy-relative of pirates? In the same way that Wild Wild West was the cowboy-relative of Men in Black? No way they'd go down that path. No no no not going to do it. No way. They'd have to be aware of that formula.

Unless the newer comics get R-rated, I have no reason to believe that they won't go that route. The pirates movies were pretty savage.

Just as long as they don't put him in a bulky rubber suit, it'll be fine.

As long as they don't P.C. the movie like making Tonto smarter than Lone Ranger.
I don't want to see DANCES WITH WOLVES indians.
I want to see OUTLAW JOSIE WALES indians.

Wasn't Tonto always smarter than the Lone Ranger? What's the point of having a wise indian guide who is dumb?

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Chad that was golden thank for vid.