HE'S known as Hollywood's wackiest leading men and Johnny Depp doesn't disappoint in the first picture from The Lone Ranger.

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.

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.

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.

The film is expected to be released in 2013.

沪江娱乐快讯：《独行侠》主人公是一名戴着面具的游侠，他原本是德州骑警，在追捕一伙不法之徒时险些送命，在印第安人托托（Tonto）的治疗和照顾下逐渐康复，并从此戴上面具、骑着白马和托托一起在西部旷野惩恶扬善。迪士尼版《游侠传奇》有点像从“桑丘”（Sancho Panza）角度叙述的《堂吉诃德》（Don Quixote），也就是说以印第安人托托的视角叙述。定妆照一出，粉丝们不禁哗然：这身装扮，就算是对于德普这样的“个性腕儿”来说，也的确奇怪了一点。想到要等到2013年才能看到影片，你是不是和小编一样心急呢？