The Lone Ranger Back in the Saddle

Do I get to keep the dreads?

According to Variety Johnny Depp will be staying in the comfy Disney stable as that studio's on-again off-again Long Ranger film is officially back on again after all principals involved agreed to hefty cuts in their salaries/fees and producer Jerry Bruckheimer agreed to pick up any cost overruns. The film, due to be directed by Pirates of the Caribbean vet Gore Verbinski will see Depp playing the Lone Ranger's Native American sidekick Tonto and Armie Hammer as the masked one himself.

Am I the only one who finds it a bit weird that the sidekick is going to get top billing? Kind of harks back to Nicholson getting top billing for Batman over Michael Keaton who actually PLAYED Batman. Anyway, no firm release date has been set as of this writing.