Hammer & Wilson Signed For "Lone Ranger" Sequel; Depp Not Yet

When you consider that it endured an almost year long budget battle to keep it afloat and production delays--It's quite remarkable that Gore Verbinski's big-budget re-telling of "The Lone Ranger" is just two days from release.

The iconic Ranger is 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 (The Social Network's Armie Hammer) 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.

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.

Justin Haythe (Revolutionary Road) Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio wrote the script.

Helena Bonham Carter, Barry Pepper, James Badge Dale Tom Wilkinson James Frain Harry Treadaway, Matt O'Leary, W. Earl Brown Leon Rippy Ruth Wilson and William Fichtner as the villain co-star

Jerry Bruckheimer produces the pic

Hammer tells E! Online that he's signed on for several more films should they be green lit . His love interest, Wilson, added that she is "signed for three."

Depp, however, is not signed .  It seems that he refused to sign a multi-picture deal, but is open to returning: "I think it was a one-shot deal. [But] if they started talking sequel on this I'd be ready to go in a second."