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Antoine Fuqua Directing Competing Pablo Escobar Film

by Alex Billington
October 9, 2007
Source: Variety

Just a week ago we shared the news that Javier Bardem and Christian Bale had been cast in Joe Carnahan's Killing Pablo. Today, news comes of another Pablo Escobar-focused film, this one a biopic being directed by Antoine Fuqua (Training Day, Tears of the Sun, King Arthur) titled just Escobar. The film is based off of "Mi Hermano Pablo" ("My Brother Pablo"), a book written by Roberto Escobar Gaviria, who served as his brother's accountant and confidant. Oliver Stone will produce the film as it heads towards production which is slated to begin in the first quarter of 2008 in Colombia and Puerto Rico.

Pablo Escobar was the notorious Colombian cocaine trafficker who was killed in 1993. The previous film, Killing Pablo, deals with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency and the CIA's hunt and killing of Escobar. This one, directed by Antoine Fuqua, is more about Escobar and his life, not his capture. This script is currently undergoing a rewrite from David McKenna (Blow, American History X). Oliver Stone praised the story, saying that, "This is a great project about a fascinating man who took on the system. I think I have to thank 'Scarface,' and maybe even Ari Gold."

Just like the two Harvey Milk films that are competing (one from Gus Van Sant and one from Bryan Singer), this now sets up two competing Pablo Escobar films. You may remember Capote and Infamous, both about Truman Capote. It's the same kind of thing and one will make more money and get more publicity than the other. Right now I'm guessing that it'll be Joe Carnahan's Killing Pablo because of Javier Bardem and Christian Bale. Both sound very interesting and I'll be keeping my eye out for both whenever they make their way to the big screen.

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