JOHN CUSACK AS POE IN 'THE RAVEN'

Here's the first promotional shot of John Cusack as Edgar Allen Poe in the upcoming film "The Raven." It's a fictionalized account of the final five “mysterious” days of the scribe's life. Great idea! Apparently the famous writer joins the hunt for a serial killer whose murders are inspired by his stories.

Says director James McTeigue ("V For Vendetta"): “It’s like the poem, 'The Raven,' itself, crossed with 'Se7en.' It should be pretty cool. The script is really good and everyone responds to it really well. I’m in the middle of casting.”

The screenplay is written by Hannah Shakespeare (who wrote the 2005 drama "Loverboy," and was a story editor on "Bionic Woman" and "Ghost Whisperer") and Ben Livingston.

"The Machinist" / "Session 9" director Brad Anderson had been previously developing the project.


The real death of Poe was also mysterious. The writer was discovered on the streets of Baltimore in great distress and in need of “immediate assistance.” He was wearing someone else’s clothes and repeating the name “Reynolds”. He died shortly after in hospital, never able to explain what had happened.

Sounds creepy and chilling.

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YET ANOTHER POE FILM IN THE WORKS: 'THE BEAUTIFUL CIGAR GIRL'

Get ready Poe junkies because yet another Edgar Allan film is in the works...

News has recently hit the interwebs (via the India Times) of a cool semi-cryptic quote from Resul Pookutty, a sound man who won an Oscar for his work on "Slumdog Millionaire.

Says the film tech:

"I couldn’t be happier because I am doing a period film. It is a very special challenge because I have to recreate the sound textures of New York in 1854. It’s an adaptation of 'The Beautiful Cigar Girl' by Daniel Stashower and based on an eerie real-life experience of author Edgar Allen Poe which happened just months before his death. Joaquin [Phoenix]plays Edgar Allen Poe."

The central theme of the novel is death - the murder of tobacco clerk Mary Rogers - who was a minor celebrity in 1841 Manhattan. Her limp, beaten body was found along the Hudson shore in Hoboken, New Jersey in July 1841. While no one was ever convicted of the crime, a year later, an innkeeper claimed that Rogers was the victim of a botched abortion that took place at her inn.

Stashower’s book recounts the spectacle of the crime, from the death of the socialite to Poe's involvement.

In 1842, Poe made it the subject of his "The Mystery of Marie Rogêt," which featured his Parisian detective Dupin and his attempt to solve the murder. The story is said to be the first detective story (even though it was based on the events of a real crime)

Other than the Phoenix reference (he was supposedly retired from acting), there aren’t many more details available regarding the film.

The other Poe film in development is "The Raven," directed by James McTeigue and starring Jeremy Renner. A totally different movie, it contains a portrayal of Poe and his famous eerie poem.

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POE MOVIE TO START FILMING: 'THE RAVEN'

This comes comes courtesy of Slashfilm. What’s next for "V for Vendetta" director James McTeigue is currently casting a period thriller titled "The Raven," a fictionalized account of the final five “mysterious” days of Edgar Allan Poe’s life. Apparently the famous writer joins the hunt for a serial killer whose murders are inspired by his stories.

Says the director: “It’s like the poem, 'The Raven,' itself, crossed with 'Se7en.' It should be pretty cool. The script is really good and everyone responds to it really well. I’m in the middle of casting.”

The screenplay is written by Hannah Shakespeare (who wrote the 2005 drama Loverboy, and was a story editor on Bionic Woman and Ghost Whisperer) and Ben Livingston. Machinist/Session 9 director Brad Anderson had been previously developing the project.


The real death of Poe was also mysterious. The writer was discovered on the streets of Baltimore in great distress and in need of “immediate assistance.” He was wearing someone else’s clothes and repeating the name “Reynolds”. He died shortly after in hospital, never able to explain what had happened.

Sounds creepy and chilling. We can't wait. Oh, and someone please for the love of God, snag Robert Downey, Jr. to play Poe.

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