Disney and producer Jerry Bruckheimer have officially parted ways. Despite a long history of collaboration and the vast box office success of Bruckheimer’s Pirates of The Caribbean franchise, it seems that the studio and the popular producer have lost enthusiasm for the relationship.

Many will be quick to point to the recent highly publicized box office catastrophe of Bruckheimer’s latest Disney Johnny Depp vehicle The Lone Ranger as the reason for the sudden split. The costly cowboy project had a bloated budget in excess of $200 million dollars, but only managed to haul back $29 million during it’s ominous opening weekend. Some analysts have estimated the flop may ultimately end up costing the studio about $190 million dollars.

In the official statement confirming the split with Bruckheimer, the studio was quick to try and assert that the colossal box office misfire wasn’t necessarily the reason for the break down of the relationship

“This is about a long-term relationship with lots of pluses and minuses. The Lone Ranger certainly didn’t help things, but we all have our wins and our losses, and this is an overall thing related to the company’s supply of projects from all these other places.”

Jerry Bruckheimer likewise has been quick to try and assert that:

“It’s not about Lone Ranger”.

The axed producer also confirmed that he won’t be producing any more films for Disney subsidiary Touchstone Pictures either:

“Films that fall into [Touchstone's] wheelhouse are supplied by DreamWorks.”

Apparently the end of the ongoing partnership with Disney won’t prevent Bruckheimer continuing to help develop the next Pirates of the Caribbean adventure  and another possible National Treasure sequel.