JENNIFER LOPEZ will portray Colombian drug lord Griselda Blanco, also known as “The Godmother.”

The story follows the life of Blanco, who outsmarted and outhustled the men around her to rise from an impoverished childhood in Colombia to become one of the world’s biggest drug lords. She was reportedly worth more than US$2 billion, and was a key figurehead in Miami’s Cocaine Cowboy Wars. Blanco was murdered in Colombia in 2012.

Lopez will produce along with Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas and Benny Medina, as well as Julie Yorn. The screenplay has been written by Regina Corrado (“Deadwood: The Movie”) and Terence Winter (“The Wolf of Wall Street,” “Boardwalk Empire,” “The Sopranos”). Winter, Alex Pettyfer, Alex Brown and Rick Yorn will executive produce.

“The Godmother” marks the third joint project between STXfilms and Lopez, who previously collaborated on last year’s romantic comedy “Second Act” and the upcoming strip-club drama “Hustlers,” which opens Sept. 13 and will have its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sept. 7. “Second Act” grossed US$39 million domestically.

“I’ve been forever fascinated by the story of Griselda Blanco and jumped at the chance to play her on screen,” said Lopez. “She is all things we look for in storytelling and dynamic characters — notorious, ambitious, conniving, chilling. In a genre dominated by legendary kingpins, I’m eager to shine a spotlight on this anti-hero and excited to partner with STX for the third time so we can bring this compelling, complicated story to life.”

Lopez is repped by CAA and managed by TheMedinaCo. Winter and Corrado are repped by CAA. Kate Vorhoff is overseeing the project on behalf of STXfilms.                           (SD-Agencies)