Charlie Hunnam might go from playing an outlaw biker in Sons of Anarchy to playing a drug lord in American Drug Lord, a project set up with Legendary Pictures and Plan B. American Drug Lord is based on a Rolling Stone article titled “An American Drug Lord in Acapulco” by Vanessa Grigoriadis and Mary Cuddehe. Grigoriadis and Cuddehe’s article told the story of Edgar Valdez Villarreal, the only American to rise to power as a cartel leader in Mexico.
The real Valdez, nicknamed “La Barbie” by his high school coach, is currently serving time in prison. The film would likely trace Valdez’s journey from his teen years in Texas as a middle-class jock to his vicious and deadly reign as a cartel leader who was making more than $100 million a year at one point.
According to Deadline, Legendary is interested in Hunnam in the starring role. It’s a stretch as Hunnam doesn’t physically resemble Edgar Valdez, and it should be interesting to see how Hunnam’s able to transform into this particular character given it’s based on a real person.
American Sniper screenwriter Jason Hall is working on the script.
Hunnam’s has Crimson Peak heading to theaters this year and is attached to King Arthur and The Mountain Between Us.
– Also of Interest: Charlie Hunnam Talks Sons of Anarchy / Charlie Hunnam Interview Video
