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Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzmán had seen his name in headlines. He knew it graced the world's Most Wanted lists.

But it appears that the notorious drug kingpin wanted something more: He wanted his name in lights.

Guzmán was recaptured by the Mexican government on Friday, and has been returned to the same prison he broke out of in July. Mexican authorities tracked him down in the seaside city of Los Mochis thanks in part to Guzmán's desire to make a biopic about his life, Mexico's attorney general says.


The druglord had contacted actors and producers, 

, opening a line of investigation that helped Mexican marines ultimately capture the fugitive.
Guzman's life is certainly dramatic enough for the big screen. In fact, a film based on his story --

or Chapo: The Escape of the Century — is 

.
And a less glamorous video of his July escape has already seized the attention of the world, as Bill and Laura 

After his 2001 escape, the head of the Sinaloa Cartel "managed to outmaneuver, outfight or out-bribe his rivals to stay at the top of the business for over a decade," as Reuters put it.


This time around, he had months, not years, of freedom. Mexican forces first 

, but he escaped in part because Mexican marines held their fire at the sight of two women and a child with him, Mexican attorney general Arely Gomez said Friday.
Officials then tracked Guzmán to Los Mochis, with help from his silver-screen dreams and information from one of his tunnel builders, 

 They narrowed his location down to one house in an upscale neighborhood, and moved in early Friday, the wire service says:


Now Guzmán is back at the Altiplano maximum-security prison — the site of his July escape.

The U.S. has a standing request for Guzmán to be transferred to the States, where he faces drug trafficking charges. Many are calling for that extradition to happen, and quickly.

Crime, Law and Justice

Mexican authorities say the drug kingpin wanted to film a biopic about his life and reached out to producers -- which helped officials track him down. He's been returned to the site of his July escape.

'El Chapo' back in prison he escaped from - thanks, in part, to lure of Hollywood

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