Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman dreamed of directing his own biopic before his capture, according to a trial witness.

Alex Cifuentes, the accused drug lord’s self-described one-time “right-hand man”, made the revelation in Brooklyn federal court on Monday.

Cifuentez said he learned about a planned movie project while living with Guzman in the mountains of his boss’ home state of Sinaloa, Mexico, from 2007 to 2009.

Guzman was interested in directing a movie about his life story as early as 2007, jurors heard on Monday.

That was long before Guzman's well-known meeting with US actor Sean Penn and Mexican actress Kate Del Castillo in 2015.

Cifuentes told jurors his own wife came up with the idea for a biopic, the New York Post reported.

“He loved the idea!” Cifuentes said about Guzman, according to the newspaper.

Inside Mexico’s top drug lord El Chapo’s hideout Show all 4 1 /4 Inside Mexico’s top drug lord El Chapo’s hideout Inside Mexico’s top drug lord El Chapo’s hideout Inside El Chapo's hideout Pictures reveal how the Mexican drug lord had been living since his escape Getty Inside Mexico’s top drug lord El Chapo’s hideout Inside El Chapo's hideout The inside of a house searched by marine special forces where Guzman was hiding Getty Inside Mexico’s top drug lord El Chapo’s hideout Inside El Chapo's hideout Inside a house searched by marine special forces during the military operation to recapture Guzman Getty Inside Mexico’s top drug lord El Chapo’s hideout El Chapo's attempted escape A marine stands guard next to a manhole of the sewer system through which drug kingpin Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman tried to escape Getty

It was revealed in January 2016 that Guzman had met with Penn and Del Castillo for an interview.

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Guzman had been arrested just a couple of days prior.