Paramount had to look no further than Magnolia Pictures for their latest project – an adaptation of Billy Corben’s documentary Cocaine Cowboys. Optioned awhile back with names like Mark Wahlberg and Peter Berg attached, it is now World Trade Center writer Andrea Berloff who’ll take over script duties from Generation Kill writer Evan Wright, whose book on the subject, American Desperado: My Life — From Mafia Soldier to Cocaine Cowboy to Secret Government Asset, will be published in November.
Gist: Cocaine Cowboys is the true story of Jon Roberts, a wounded Vietnam vet who went on to be a cocaine kingpin in Miami in the 1970′s before becoming a government prisoner. Corben’s documentary version chronicled the rise of cocaine and resulting crime epidemic that swept through Miami in the 1970’s and 80’s.
Worth Noting: Berloff’s stock is definitely on the rise as her name is currently attached to a few high profile projects – most notably the NWA biopic Straight Outta Compton, Will Smith’s vampire project The Legend of Cain, and ABC’s TV movie version of Romeo & Juliet, which currently has Catherine Hardwicke directing.
Do We Care?: This film could be a nice east coast companion piece to Nick Cassavetes’ “Freeway” Rick Ross biopic, which similarly chronicles the rise of cocaine in America. As for Berloff, her time spent working with (Scarface writer) Oliver Stone from World Trade Center should adequately provide her with some general knowledge of ambitious projects and cocaine culture.
