Hammer's Hot Streak Includes Lone Ranger

The Los Angeles Times  reports that the deal is almost to have The Social Network's Armie Hammer  star as the title character in Gore Verbinski's The Lone Ranger

The iconic character begins among 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 (Johnny Depp), who nurses him back to health.

The Ranger, wearing 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.

Hammer's been circling the role for weeks since Ryan Gosling declined the part opting for Nicolas Winding Refn's "Logan's Run" remake which will shoot this Fall as well. Hammer is about to start work on The Brothers Grimm: Snow White opposite Julia Roberts, and has just finished filming Clint Eastwood’s J. Edgar biopic.The thriller 2:22 is on his plate as well.

Justin Haythe (Revolutionary Road) wrote the script.

The character began as a 1930s radio show before becoming a star is several movie serials, TV shows, comic strips comic books, toys, novels and more.

Jerry Bruckheimer will produce the pic