EXCLUSIVE: The Hunger Games‘ Josh Hutcherson is negotiating to star with Benicio Del Toro in Paradise Lost, the drama about notorious drug kingpin Pablo Escobar that was written and will mark the directing debut of Life Of Pi’s Andrea di Stefano. Hutcherson is actually the principal character in the fact-based tale. He plays Nick, a young Irish surfer who visits his brother in Colombia. There he meets the love of his life — until he meets her uncle Pablo. The film will begin production in Panama in March.

Hutcherson, repped by ICM Partners and The Beddingfield Company, takes the job after wrapping Catching Fire, the second installment of The Hunger Games. He also lends his voice to the Fox Animation feature Epic.