'Lone Ranger,' starring Johnny Depp, heading to theaters December 2012

Johnny Depp

Credit: AP Photo

Disney will release "Lone Ranger," starring Armie Hammer as the title hero, and Johnny Depp as his partner Tonto, on December 21, 2012, according to Deadline.com.

In "Lone Ranger," a Texas Ranger is saved by a Comanche Indian named Tonto, and the duo become vigilantes fighting crime in 1869, with the Lone Ranger wearing a mask to protect his real identity.

The film re-teams Depp with Gore Verbinski, who directed the actor in the first three "Pirates of the Caribbean" films and well as this year's animated "Rango."

Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio (the "Pirates" films) wrote the script with Justin Haythe. Jerry Bruckheimer (also of "Pirates" fame) is producing. The film will start shooting later this year.

Depp can currently be seen reprising his role as Jack Sparrow in the hit "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides." He'll soon appear in "The Rum Diary" and in Tim Burton's big screen "Dark Shadows" update.

Hammer played the dual role of the Winklevoss twins in David Fincher's "The Social Network" last year, and will soon co-star in "The Brothers Grimm: Snow White," alongside Lily Collins and Julia Roberts.

The 2012 holiday season already has some impressive titles lined up, including Peter Jackson's "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" on December 14, 2012. the following week sees the debuts of Ang Lee's "Life of Pi" adaptation, Judd Apatow's untitled new film and Relativity Media's "Hunter-Killer."

Watch Johnny Depp talk about "Lone Ranger," "Rango" and more here: