What do you mean “we,” white man?

I always thought the Ranger was the senior partner in the Lone Ranger-Tonto relationship. But with the announcement that Ryan Gosling is in talks to star as the masked man against Johnny Depp’s Tonto, you gotta wonder. Especially when the filmed version of The Lone Ranger is set to be directed by Gore Verbinski, who directed Depp in the first three Pirates of the Caribbean films. Well maybe screenwriter Justin (Revolutionary Road) Haythe’s script is going to center on Kemo Sabe being wracked with guilt over the fact that he was the only survivor of the Butch Cavendish ambush. Gosling would be aces doing that. But for some reason I can’t picture him leaping on his mighty steed, proclaiming “Hi-yo, Silver! Away!” as Depp mumbles “Git-em up, Scout.”

But speaking of casting, I thought it was a brilliant move by Steven Spielberg to cast Sally Field as Mary Todd Lincoln (pictured) in his upcoming movie that deals with the clashes between Lincoln and the members of his cabinet. Tony Kushner is writing the screenplay from Doris Kearns Goodwin’s book Team of Rivals. This project has Oscar written all over it.

The Lone Ranger is due to come out in 2014 and Spielberg’s Lincoln next year.