Ridley Scott has teamed up with Fox to adapt Don Winslow's novel "The Cartel", whose story has parallels to the real-life drug lord El Chapo.
Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, known as world's most powerful drug lord, made a daring escape from a Mexican prison. His escape took place less than a month after Winslow's novel, a fictional account of Chapo's story, hit the stands.
20th Century Fox recently won an auction for the screen rights of the story. Scott, 77, will direct and produce with his Scott Free Films president Michael Schaefer, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
"Armageddon" famed writer Shane Salerno will pen the script and also produce through his company Story Factory.
"The Cartel" revolves around two former friends Art Keller and Adan Berrera whose paths diverge after one goes to work for the Drug Enforcement Agency and the other joins the Sonora drug cartel.
According to the reports, Leonardo DiCaprio is in negotiations to play Keller, the young DEA agent. If the 40-year-old actor is tapped to star in the film, it will be his first collaboration with with Scott in a film since "Body of Lies".
With this deal Fox has also acquired movie rights for Winslow's novel, "The Power of the Dog", which is precursor to "The Cartel".
