The 'Prometheus' director is tapped to helm the movie based on Don Winslow's novel about escaped drug lord Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman, while DiCaprio is reported to star.
- Jul 24, 2015
AceShowbiz - 20th Century Fox recently won an auction for the screen rights to "The Cartel", Don Winslow's recently-released novel which tells the true story of escaped drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Scott Ridley will direct the movie and produce with his Scott Free Films president Michael Schaefer.
The deal also includes the movie rights to Winslow's previous novel, "The Power of the Dog", but it is not clear whether the studio will turn these two books into one movie or will make it into a movie franchise.
"The Cartel" centers on Art Keller and Adan Berrera, two former friends whose paths diverged when one went to work for the Drug Enforcement Agency and the other joined the Sonora drug cartel. Shane Salerno will write the script and also produce via his shingle, Story Factory.
Latest report says that Leonardo DiCaprio is in negotiations to play Keller, the young DEA agent. If the rumor is true, "The Cartel" will be DiCaprio's first time to collaborate with Scott in a film since "Body of Lies". There is no official release date just yet, but "The Cartel" is expected to arrive in the U.S. in 2016.
Scott is currently in post-production of Matt Damon-starrer sci-fi drama "The Martian" which will premiere in the U.S. on October 2. As for DiCaprio, he will be next seen in Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's "The Revenant" which is set for a U.S. release on December 25.
