Netflix to make series about drug lord Pablo Escobar

Digital content provider Netflix said it planned to produce a series about Pablo Escobar, the most notorious drug lord in Colombia’s history, that will be directed by Brazilian Jose Padilha and star his countryman, Wagner Moura.

“Narcos” will be filmed in Colombia and make its debut in early 2015, with the first season consisting of 10 episodes, Netflix said in a statement.

Padilha will serve as executive producer along with Eric Newman (“Children of Men”); Doug Miro and Carlos Bernard (“Sorcerer’s Apprentice”); and Chris Brancato (“Hannibal”).

The series will give viewers a new take on the story of the infamous Medellin cartel boss, who is blamed for the deaths of between 5,000 and 10,000 people.

“Jose and Wagner together created one of the most sophisticated and chilling portraits of criminality and official corruption ever in their ‘Elite Squad’ movies,” Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos said. “Their version of the Escobar saga will be like nothing ever seen before.”

“Our idea is to tell the true story of how cocaine became such a huge problem in the U.S. and Europe and how it all started here in Medellin,” Padilha, who is in Colombia working on the series, said.

Moura, a former soap opera actor, became famous for his portrayal of Capt. Nascimento in “Elite Squad” and made his Hollywood debut last year in “Elysium,” which starred Matt Damon and Jodie Foster.

Padilha made a splash in the world’s movie capital with the reboot of “Robocop,” a film that made $240 million around the world.