Chiwetel Ejiofor is finding himself in high demand after his Best Actor Oscar nomination for 12 Years A Slave. The British actor is currently filming John Hillcoat’s crime drama Triple Nine, and is looking ahead to another dramatic project: an adaptation of Rusty Young’s nonfiction book Marching Powder.

The book tells the story of Thomas McFadden, an imprisoned drug trafficker who Young met while he was backpacking through South America. Young was so intrigued by McFadden, who guided illegal tours inside Bolivia’s San Pedro prison, that he bribed the guards to allow him to stay and share a cell with McFadden for the next three months. The men became friends, and Marching Powder is the story of life at San Pedro; where corruption is rampant, violence is common and cocaine is king. 

Ejiofor will play McFadden, while the role of Young has not yet been cast.

While the project is currently in development at New Regency Productions, Ejiofor can be seen when Triple Nine hits theaters next year. Also, check out Young’s book on Amazon for more on McFadden’s story and San Pedro.