When word came out that Johnny Depp would be starring in The Lone Ranger, but as Tonto and not as the Ranger himself, the next question on everyone’s lips was “Well, who will play the lead?” Now, according to Ain’t It Cool News, that part might be going to an actor who is no stranger to playing masked heroes – George Clooney!

The scooper for the site says:

Word as of now is that George Clooney has shown a lot of interest in the role of the Lone Ranger, and the studio's been talking to him about it. Previously it was rumored that Nic Cage was up for the role, but that rumor died a long time ago. Clooney's name has come up quite a number of times since.

Now, this is still only in the rumor stage, but the possibility of Clooney taking on the part of the Lone Ranger certainly has potential. Although Clooney is often maligned for his role as Batman in Batman & Robin, it seems unfair to blame the actor for the problems with that film.

The Lone Ranger's origin story begins with a group of Texas Rangers chasing down a gang of outlaws led by Butch Cavendish. The gang ambushes the Rangers, seemingly killing them all. One survivor is found, however, by an American Indian named Tonto, who nurses him back to health. The Ranger, donning a mask and riding a white stallion named Silver, teams up with Tonto to bring the unscrupulous gang and others of that ilk to justice.

The Lone Ranger owned by Classic Media, began life as a 1930s radio show. Its popularity led to movie serials, TV shows, comic strips and comic books, toys, novels and more. The character was most often portrayed by Clayton Moore, who played the character in both films and a long-running television series.