# Why did The Lone Ranger cost $225M to make? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 15, 2013, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-the-lone-ranger-cost-225m-to-make/663592 "2013-07-15T20:33:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-the-lone-ranger-cost-225m-to-make/663592/1 "2013-07-15T20:33:26Z")
There are reports that the current Lone Ranger movie cost around $225M to make. That is a _lot_ of money. Where did it all go? ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-the-lone-ranger-cost-225m-to-make/663592/2 "2013-07-15T20:37:02Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > There are reports that the current Lone Ranger movie cost around $225M to make. That is a _lot_ of money. Where did it all go? Why do you want to know, copper? Anyway, the answer is "I dunno, but I certainly did not steal any of it, and any claims to the contrary will be [del]answered via gunshot[/del] be referred to my attorneys. ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-the-lone-ranger-cost-225m-to-make/663592/3 "2013-07-15T20:53:22Z")
it took several takes to get the timing of that bridge explosion and train crash ‘just right’ - they did not want to use CGI. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-the-lone-ranger-cost-225m-to-make/663592/4 "2013-07-15T21:06:59Z")
Johnny Depp’s Swiss Bank Accounts ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-the-lone-ranger-cost-225m-to-make/663592/5 "2013-07-15T21:38:14Z")
Hey, those were real feathers on whatever the hell Johnny Depp had on his head. ---
**Author:** ![Banksiaman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banksiaman/32/3334_2.png) [@Banksiaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banksiaman)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-the-lone-ranger-cost-225m-to-make/663592/6 "2013-07-15T21:56:32Z")
Well, when even a movie screw can cost $10, these film budgets soon add up. And having to tape all the cats together, well … ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Lowry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Sam\_Lowry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Lowry)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-the-lone-ranger-cost-225m-to-make/663592/7 "2013-07-15T22:28:18Z")
> [@simster](#): > > it took several takes to get the timing of that bridge explosion and train crash ‘just right’ - they did not want to use CGI. The action scenes definitely ran up some of the cost. Also, the expenses on period pieces can quickly add up. For something set today, they can use some regular backgrounds, the extras can be in their normal everyday clothes, and a lot of props can be somewhat easily found. But for period pieces, they have to do a lot more set building and be vigilant that no cars or cell phones are left anywhere. The costumes can be made or bought, but usually with more difficulty and expense than just buying something from a regular department store. And same with props- if a character in Transformers needs to use a pen, the person in charge of props can easily get a pen at any number of office supply stores. But if someone in the Lone Ranger needs to use a pen, then some sort of pen or writing instrument that’s appropriate to the time period needs to be purchased from some specialty supply store or needs to be specially made. With action period pieces all this stuff is even more expensive, because that usually means a lot of extras and big sets. ---
**Author:** ![Flywheel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Flywheel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flywheel)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-the-lone-ranger-cost-225m-to-make/663592/8 "2013-07-15T22:31:31Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > That is a _lot_ of money. Where did it all go? To da dump, to da dump, to da dump-dump-dump… ---
**Author:** ![Phnord\_Prephect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/df705f/32.png) [@Phnord\_Prephect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phnord_Prephect)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-the-lone-ranger-cost-225m-to-make/663592/9 "2013-07-15T22:38:32Z")
> [@Flywheel](#): > > To da dump, to da dump, to da dump-dump-dump… Thread over, we have a winner. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2013, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-the-lone-ranger-cost-225m-to-make/663592/10 "2013-07-15T22:46:49Z")
Development hell is one issue. The movie has been in development for nearly a decade; any money spent during that time get added to the final cost. Two years ago Disney execs hit the brake pedal on production in an effort to curb costs (it didn’t work). As noted, big set pieces are expensive, as are period peices; together it’s even worse. I also get the impression that when a budget is unimaginably big, the importance of keeping costs down is largely ignored. What’s an extra three or four million when your budget is 210 million? When that happens a dozen times over a year or two of shooting and editing, suddenly you’re out $40 million. ---
**Author:** ![moriah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2013, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-the-lone-ranger-cost-225m-to-make/663592/11 "2013-07-16T00:39:26Z")
Johnny Depp is a big star. It takes _a lot_ of money to destroy his career. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2013, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-the-lone-ranger-cost-225m-to-make/663592/12 "2013-07-16T01:37:37Z")
> [@Sam\_Lowry](#): > > The action scenes definitely ran up some of the cost. > > Also, the expenses on period pieces can quickly add up. For something set today, they can use some regular backgrounds, the extras can be in their normal everyday clothes, and a lot of props can be somewhat easily found. But for period pieces, they have to do a lot more set building and be vigilant that no cars or cell phones are left anywhere. The costumes can be made or bought, but usually with more difficulty and expense than just buying something from a regular department store. And same with props- if a character in Transformers needs to use a pen, the person in charge of props can easily get a pen at any number of office supply stores. But if someone in the Lone Ranger needs to use a pen, then some sort of pen or writing instrument that’s appropriate to the time period needs to be purchased from some specialty supply store or needs to be specially made. > > With action period pieces all this stuff is even more expensive, because that usually means a lot of extras and big sets. Idiots don’t hire recreators from the right time period, we come fully equipped with costuming and lots of props of our very own, and frequently work cheap. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2013, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-the-lone-ranger-cost-225m-to-make/663592/13 "2013-07-16T01:46:47Z")
1. Johnny Depp. 2. The same writers, director, and producers of the Pirates movie, all very expensive. 3. It really is a pretty strong visual movie, with many explosions and major effects. I looks like it cost a lot, even if it isn’t very good. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2013, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-the-lone-ranger-cost-225m-to-make/663592/14 "2013-07-16T01:47:53Z")
Oh, and the real question is why all Adam Sandler movies cost so much. Did you know Jack and Jill cost $79 million and looks like a $10 million movie? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2013, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-the-lone-ranger-cost-225m-to-make/663592/15 "2013-07-16T02:12:20Z")
> [@](#): > > 1. The same writers, director, and producers of the Pirates movie, all very expensive. Wait, how can producers be expensive? I thought that they were, by definition, the ones _paying_, not the ones getting paid. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2013, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-the-lone-ranger-cost-225m-to-make/663592/16 "2013-07-16T02:21:32Z")
Silver bullets. ---
**Author:** ![42fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/b487fb/32.png) [@42fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/42fish)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2013, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-the-lone-ranger-cost-225m-to-make/663592/17 "2013-07-16T14:12:39Z")
> [@Banksiaman](#): > > Well, when even a movie screw can cost $10 … I had no idea Hollywood prostitutes worked that cheap. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2013, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-the-lone-ranger-cost-225m-to-make/663592/18 "2013-07-16T14:26:43Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Wait, how can producers be expensive? I thought that they were, by definition, the ones _paying_, not the ones getting paid. The studio and executive producers pay, the producers are among those ringing up the bill. Depending on their level of influence on a movie, they could be the ones insisting on multiple explosions, chases in/on/between multiple trains, or a fight between a pre-Wright flying machine and a giant mechanical spider (oops, wrong western flop). ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2013, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-the-lone-ranger-cost-225m-to-make/663592/19 "2013-07-16T15:23:41Z")
Probably “creative accounting”-the accountants shift expenses to the loser (TLR) so they can get a writeoff on their taxes. The more successful films rack up profits overseas, where they are shielded from US taxes. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2013, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-the-lone-ranger-cost-225m-to-make/663592/20 "2013-07-16T16:52:56Z")
There were all those dead hookers they had to disappear from Depp’s trailer/dressing room. That can get expensive. To understand Hollywood standard accounting methods and practices, you first have to be very adept with Bistromathics. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-the-lone-ranger-cost-225m-to-make/663592.md?page=2)