Valdez being extradited to the United States
Perhaps it is because of the increasing interest in the “can’t make this stuff up”, adventures of El Chapo over recent years, but interest has spiked by film makers and journalists, exploring the lives and notorious exploits of Mexico’s infamous narco capos.
Fiction and non-fiction projects are being produced in numbers never seen previously.
Since the Chapo recapture, Chapo news has selfishly dominated headlines, which is why the news of a deal made between a Texas actor and Valdez, for story rights received little notice.
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| A second before being executed, from the infamous La Barbie execution video |
![]() Texas born, and San Antonio resident, actor Armie Hammer, (at left in the Lone Ranger role) has announced he has acquired the rights to the life story of Edgar Valdez Villareal aka “La Barbie”. Hammer says it was a three year acquisition process, that began in 2012.
Hammer’s wife Elizabeth, called on Valdez’ Houston Attorney, Kent Schaffer in 2012, when Hammer was in custody after border agents discovered marijuana laced baked goods. The charges were dropped. Schaffer told Buzzfeed, "Elizabeth contacted me when Armie was still in jail over a little marijuana charge and she talked to me for the first 20 minutes about getting life rights to Edgar's story, and then she said, 'By the way, my husband is in jail. Can you get him out?'”
It has not been announced if Hammer will star in any projects produced by the couple, however it would be a good assumption that he would.
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Although the Legendary Pictures project is widely anticipated, the deal the Hammers made would give exclusive access to Valdez for their project.
It remains to be seen how ‘real’ or factual any project will be. Valdez was known for his brutal executions and for his apparent betrayal to his boss Arturo Beltrán Leyva, that led to the death of the capo. Valdez denies he has been an informant for the government, but evidence and circumstances indicate otherwise.
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