History and “Narcos” writer/producer Chris Brancato are in development on “#Cartel,” a drama series based on the life of drug kingpin El Chapo, TheWrap has learned.
The series would follow kingpin Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman’s rise to power, with an inside look at how cartels use social media to maintain their images, recruit new members and threaten rivals. Unlike drug lords of decades past, El Chapo has fan followings, with relationships in the entertainment and music industries that stretch past the Mexican border and into the United States.
“#Cartel,” from ABC Signature and A+E Studios, is described as a story of power, money, sex and the human cost of the drug wars not yet seen on television.
“As we expand the canvas of topics covered by History to include events of the recent past, we are pleased to be teaming with Chris Brancato on this project,” said Jana Bennett, president and general manager at History, in a statement. “The true story of El Chapo, fraught with murder, drugs, corruption and celebrity, has been and continues to be one of the most disturbing and fascinating of the past decade. Chris is the perfect person to bring this slice of modern history to the screen.”