'Lone Ranger' Trailer: Five Things We Hope To See

The first trailer for "The Lone Ranger," Disney's attempt to resurrect the serial western hero (Armie Hammer) and Tonto (Johhny Depp), is set to debut Tuesday (October 2) during "The Tonight Show." The preview has been a long time coming, and we have a number of things we need to see in the trailer to make sure we ride off into the sunset this July.

Hi-Yo Silver! Away!
Let's just get this one out of the way, shall we? The Lone Ranger hasn't exactly been around in a while. The character peaked in popularity in the 1950's and has only shown his masked face sparingly in the decades since then. The one remnant of the Lone Ranger that has survived the longest is undoubtedly his catchphrase, "Hi-Yo Silver! Away!" While we know the focus story-wise will fall on Depps' Tonto, this isn't a Lone Ranger movie without the signature cry.

What's With The Bird?
Speaking of Tonto, the elephant in the room happens to rest squarely on Depp's head. The actor has talked at length about his research into Native American cultures, and when it comes to getting lost in a role, we trust Depp to cross every "t" and dot every "i." This time, however, he's ended up with a crow on his head. It's hard to imagine that the trailer won't acknowledge the bird with, at the very least, a joke about it.

Old Fashioned Western Action
On-set photos released as part of the uptick in promotional material have hinted at some impressive, practical effects and stunts, most of which seem to involve an actual train. In all of the trouble "The Lone Ranger" had getting off the ground, a bloated budget came up repeatedly as the biggest issue, but the cuts may end up being the film's saving grace. What has been missing from the released materials so far has been any big effects shots. We'll have to wait until we see the trailer to make a final call on how effects-heavy this tent pole will be, but this could shape up to be a fun throwback to the westerns of old.

Gore Verbinski-ness
We must remember, however, that this is a Gore Verbinski joint. As the "Pirates of the Caribbean" series swashbuckled on, the movies became stranger and more dependent on special effects, but what we have yet to see from "The Lone Ranger" is where Verbinski's voice will come into play. Executive producer Jerry Bruckheimer previously talked about a supernatural element in the story, which is also conspicuously missing, so perhaps the trailer will reveal the connection.

We Want to Be Wowed
It's not necessarily cynical to say that "The Lone Ranger" has some ground to make up. With the stalled production and a hero most of our parents grew up watching, this first trailer needs to set the tone for a rest of the lead-up to the July 3 release date. "John Carter" is still fresh in the memory of Disney, and the last thing they need is another older male-oriented hero who can't find his place in the 21st century.