Spanish movie beauty PENELOPE CRUZ is in talks to play tragic Gucci heir MAURIZIO GUCCI's murderous ex-wife in a new film to be directed by master moviemaker RIDLEY SCOTT's daughter.

The Oscar winner, who is currently shooting The Counselor with Ridley, is slated to portray Patrizia Reggiani in Jordan Scott's Gucci.

Reggiani was jailed in 1998 for hiring a hitman to kill her husband four years after the couple officially divorced.

She became known as the Black Widow throughout her trial.

Her daughters urged lawmakers in Milan, Italy to overturn their mother's conviction on the grounds a brain tumour had altered her personality. The conviction was upheld but Reggiani's sentence was reduced to 26 years.

Last year (Oct11), she was offered a chance at parole, but refused stating, "I've never worked in my life and I'm certainly not going to start now."