First look: Johnny Depp as The Lone Ranger's Native American sidekick Tonto... but why has he got a bird on his head?



Hi-yo, Silver.. The Lone Ranger film is finally coming!

After years of delays, the big-screen version of the popular Fifties show started filming last month.

And producer Jerry Bruckheimer gave fans a sneak peek at what to expect with the first photo of Armie Hammer as the Ranger and Johnny Depp as his sidekick Tonto.



First look: Armie Hammer as The Lone Ranger and Johnny Depp as his sidekick Tonto

Bruckheimer posted a photo from the set of the Disney film on his Twitter page on Thursday morning as teasing fans in the days leading up to it.

He wrote: ' Tonto and The Lone Ranger Ride Again!'

The photo shows The Social Network star Hammer, 25, in a black suit, white hat and signature black eye mask as The Lone Ranger.

Standing behind him looking rather cautious is Depp, 48, in tribal facepaint, headdress and feathers as Native American Tonto.

The pair started filming with director Gore Verbinski on location in New Mexico last month.

Brits Helena Bonham Carter and Tom Wilkinson are also tipped to star in the eagerly-anticipated film.



Last year, Depp revealed he has Native American heritage.

The original: Clayton Moore and Jay Silverheels in the 1950s TV series

He said: ' My great-grandmother was quite a bit of Native American, she grew up Cherokee or maybe Creek Indian. Makes sense in terms of coming from Kentucky, which is rife with Cherokee and Creek.'

The Lone Ranger first appeared in a radio show in 1933, before being transferred to the black and white TV show in 1949, starring Clayton Moore as the Lone Ranger and Jay Silverheels as Tonto.

There were two previous attempts at Lone Ranger films in 1981 and a TV movie in 2003, but they weren't received as well as expected by fans.



The film has been a long time coming; Columbia Pictures and Classic Media announced their intention to make a Lone Ranger film in 2002.

After years stuck in development, Disney announced in 2008 they had cast Depp to play Tonto.