Jerry Bruckheimer says Disney's priority is a new 'Pirates' movie and not a big screen 'Lone Ranger.' He also left open the door for original 'Pirates' director Gore Verbinski to return to the franchise. Gregory Ellwood <p>Speaking to HitFix tonight in New York City, uber-producer Jerry Bruckheimer broke some news regarding the fourth incarnation of the "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchise and the previously announced big screen incarnation of the "Lone Ranger."&nbsp; Both pictures have superstar Johnny Depp in the mix, but Bruckheimer says "Ranger" is not the priority for his longtime home, Walt Disney Pictures.<br /><br />"I think for Disney it will mostly be 'Pirates,' obviously," Bruckheimer says. "That's a great franchise for them and for us too.&nbsp; Beloved, with a great character and <strong>Johnny's really excited about coming back to Captain Jack. "</strong><br /><br />This past April, original "Pirates" trilogy director Gore Verbinski <a href="../2009-4-8-gore-verbinski-says-no-to-pirates-4" target="_self">announced</a> he would not helm the fourth installment due to other commitments including the movie adaptation of the popular video game "BioShock."&nbsp; With that project <a href="../2009-4-26-verbinski-s-bioshock-may-be-dead" target="_self">floundering</a>, HitFix asked Bruckheimer if his former director could return to the swashbuckling seas.&nbsp; The Hollywood veteran clearly left the door open to a return.<br /><br /><strong>"You never know," Bruckheimer says. "He created the franchise.&nbsp; He had a lot to add to that, but it's going to be up to him."</strong><br /><br />When asked whether Depp preferred to shoot "Lone Ranger" versus a return to Captain Jack, Bruckheimer reiterated that while Depp was interested in Tonto, but <strong>"Disney's priority is to get [a fourth] 'Pirates' made."</strong><br /><br />Additionally, Bruckheimer said he'd seen some of the early pages of the fourth 'Pirates' script, but the always cagey mogul limited his comments to that it's funny and "it's a whole new way of going."<br /><br />Bruckheimer has the family friendly <a href="../../events/2009-4-8-g-force" target="_self">"G-Force"</a> set for release Aug. 7, but will return to the blockbuster arena next summer with both "Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time" on May 28, 2010 and "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" on July 16, 2010.</p> movies 2009-06-11T07:14:27Z 530 Doesn't rule out Verbinski return to 'Pirates' franchise 2038-01-01T00:00:00Z false 1120 false false false false false false false false false false 2009-6-11-bruckheimer-says-pirates-4-bigger-priority-for-disney-than-lone-ranger 2009-06-11T03:09:00Z Bruckheimer says 'Pirates 4' bigger priority for Disney than 'Lone Ranger' published Eastern Time (US & Canada) http://tinyurl.com/kotqq5 2009-09-01T03:47:28Z false 5 28