2012-2013 Season Network Rankings: CBS Sweeps In Final … 
Full 2012-2013 TV Season Series Rankings 
TOLDJA! Paramount Pocketing $190M From Disney For Marvel … 
‘Good Morning America’ Hits 19-Year Viewership … 
MGM Buys ‘Modern Family’ Producer Ben … 
‘Fashion Police’ Writers Chant On Picket Lines: … 
Universal Makes Seven-Figure Deal For ‘The School For … 
Steven Soderbergh Will Interrupt Retirement To Direct And … 
Cannes: EOne Announces Itself As Player In U.S. … 
Will LIN TV Stations Go Dark On Time Warner Cable? 
Very Crowded Memorial Weekend Kick-Off: ‘Hangover … 
Shareholders Quiz Time Warner Chief On Political Ties And … 
RATINGS RAT RACE: ‘Modern Family’, ‘Law … 
Hammond On Cannes: Paramount’s ‘Nebraska’ … 
Cannes: J.C. Chandor Sets Next Project ‘A Most … 
Hannibal Classics Sets Cast For Nic Cage Pic … 
Hammond On Cannes: Robert Redford’s Brave New Role … 
Hot Trailer: Jennifer Aniston And Jason Sudeikis’ … 
Brad Pitt’s Plan B Banner Promotes Jeremy Kleiner To … 
Hot Trailer: Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s ‘Don … 
Billy Crystal-Starring Comedy From Matt Nix & Larry … 
John Cusack blurted out on Twitter that he’ll play Edgar Allan Poe in The Raven. Since I can’t clear my throat in less than 140 characters, I’ll spend the extra verbiage describing the film. Based on an original script by Hannah Shakespeare (I kid you not) and Ben Livingston, the drama is set in the last five days of Poe’s life, when a serial killer is running around Baltimore using Poe’s stories as the backdrops for his killings. Poe and a young detective have a ticking clock to outsmart the killer before he strikes again. V For Vendetta‘s James McTeigue will direct, and production will begin late fall in Serbia. The film is a co-production between Intrepid Pictures and FilmNation. It will be produced by Intrepid’s Trevor Macy and Marc D. Evans, and FilmNation’s Aaron Ryder, who brought the script to Intrepid. FilmNation’s Glen Basner will sell international rights, and Intrepid is in discussions with domestic distributors.
Loading ...
If you go by looks…Jason Clarke (Brotherhood, Public Enemies) would be an actor that looks a lot like this picture of Poe. However, I’ve always hoped to see Robert Downey Jr. play EAP.
Sounds great. Too bad they couldn’t shoot on the East Coast.
Somebody ignite Jupiter.
Dozens of dreadful Poe related movies have been made since the Richard Corben movies in the 1960s. This movie has the potential to present Poe in a legitimate historical context rather than the bizarre way he is usually portrayed. The Poe Museum wishes the film making team all the best. We hope the finished film can be released in 2011 which will be the 200th anniversary of the death of Poe’s mother 1811, the year Poe moved to Richmond, Virginia which became his home for half his life and the home to which he returned and found happiness the year he died.
Richard Corben?? The comic book artist.
Don’t we mean Roger Corman?
This should be good. I worked for McTeigue when he was an AD. He is a great guy, and i wish the best of luck to him with this show.
this is a good script. heard jeremy renner was offered 3 million dollars in the role of the cop opposite poe who looks for the killer
I expect it’s coincidence, but it sounds like BATMAN: NEVERMORE, a comics mini-series by Len Wein and Guy Davis, in which the “young detective” is a Poe-era Bruce Wayne.
I’ve read this. It rocks. It’s about time.
Cusack is 6’3, Edgar was a mere 5’8. It will be rather odd to see such a polypheme Poe.
Poe was 5’8′?! are you kidding with that comment?! how many people know that? Or more importantly, give a fuck? get out of your mother’s basement geek… Let’s just hope they don’t continue to destroy Poe’s legacy. Glad they are making an adult movie for people with at least half a brain. the irony is that less than 10% of the united states population actually knows who Poe is…
you sound like a really happy fellow.
Seriously?!?!?!? What is your mental defect?! Why would you cuss and insult someone for giving their opinion?! Do the world a favor and seek professional help! I PRAY that you don’t have a job with children or in the public! Wow…some people!
John is the Vincent Price of our generation…
This is a reality? Using a classic Poe title to excrete yet ANOTHER serial killer movie? Will Hollywood not be sated until every man, woman, and child develops sociopathic tendencies? How can one enjoy the pleasures of love and light if forever “enjoying” violence as entertainment?
Have you never read Poe? And have you read the script? Poe was able to hold the light and the dark in the palm of his hand without fear. You offend me with your piss poor interpretation of life. There is not one element in the script that enjoys violence. Nor is there one element of Poe that does either. Do your homework and opt out of easy platitudes. To destroy what you know not is more violent than any text created to convey both the light and the dark. You are a fool and shameful.
Hasn’t Sylvester Stallone been working on a Poe script for three decades? Wonder how he feels about this.
Sly famously abandoned the project years ago claiming he didn’t want to have it called “Yo Poe!” Cusack has grit and integrity. As contrived as the premise sounds, he’ll make it fun to watch.
I was going to post something similar. I’ve heard Stallone’s script is excellent, though I have yet to find it on the net.
I agree with the first poster that Robert Downey Jr. would’ve been a great choice.
And to the jerk-off under the handle “incredulous,” while a great performance can transcend the physicality of the real person being portrayed, things like height and weight are not irrelevant either. People might not know Poe’s height, but audiences have a sense that casting is “not quite right”. This happened with Mann’s Ali, for one.
Johnny Depp or Robert Downey Jr. would be better suited physically for Poe, but Cusack will be interesting – looking forward to this.
Mike,
Hannah Shakespeare may be an unbelievable name for a writer, but if you look up some of her credits, you’ll be surprised. She used to be one of the team of writers that helped Ron Bass churn out all those scripts 15 years ago.
dan
Am I the only one who remembers that (no joke) Michael jackson was once attached to star as Poe in a Raven film?
I seem to recall reading that strange fact years ago when Variety did a piece on his producorial involvement with The United States of Leland (a deal which may have later fallen apart as I don’t recall him being credited).
Could this be the same version? If so, I think this is the only time John Cusack has been up for the same role as Michael Jackson. Bizarre.
People have often speculated on how Poe died, some saying he was drugged with laudenum and used to vote repeatedly at different polling stations, as was the practice in Baltimore at the time, then dumped off at a local hospital. This egregious practice is still in place, only now they use liquor and Newport cigarettes as enticements. There’s an old saying in Baltimore…”vote early and often.”
Opium was sadly the downfall of many great artists during this era. Between opium addictions and the help of an Alchoholic substance known as absinthe (a green liquer-spirit, that was lightly flavored with mint and licorish). Absinthe was renown for its properties as a mild hallucinogenic due to the way in which it was distilled (wormwood). These accusations by opponents to absinthe are apparently false, as wormwood does not contain hallucinogenic properties. Wormwood was used throughout the ages as a medicinal remedy for a variety of illnesses, descending down from the Egyptians. What really caused people to go crazy from absinthe was the qaugmire of other and often illegal chemicals that were used to preserve and distill the absinthe, combined with the rediculously high amounts of alchohol present (up to 74% per volume).
It’s the combination of the alchohol abuse and the mixture of opiates like laudinum that caused the deaths of many as they would tend to overdose.
A great movie that describes this is From Hell, with Mr. Johnny Depp that depicts him as an investigator trying to solve the mystery behind the Jack-the-Ripper case.
Sorry for the history lesson.
-raven
Jeffrey Combs did a wonderful Poe in the stageplay titled “Nevermore…”. Stuart Gordon (“Edmund”) directed. The writer was Dennis Paoli. I saw it at the Steve Allen Theatre in Los Angeles. Highly recommended.
I think Michael Cera would have been perfect for this
Dear Hollywood,
I yield. Mostly to your plethora of serial killers and dreck billed as “cutting edge” and “high concept”. You’re right and my instincts must be fractured. What you produces is pure unadulterated thrills and spectacles of creative genius. I only wish I hadn’t developed taste and a critical mind so as to reap the value of entertainment you choose to greenlight.
“plethora”, “critical mind”, “unadulterated thrills”… wow… you are sooo smart… i wish i was sooo smart… jeez man, get over yourself. you sound ridiculous…
Incredulous, didn’t you just slam the entire country a few posts ago for not being smart enough? Now this guy is too smart for you? Yeesh.
the one who mocks others is desperately trying to avoid his or her own issues of insecurity. try to love yourself. you are worth it.
So now Poe is being played as a navel gazing, dyspeptic, whiner? Because I am pretty sure that’s the only role Cusack can play.
LOL! I so agree!
Making boring violent (or other genre) plots “interesting” by inserting some ACTUALLY interesting figure from actual history into the script, ‘borrowing’ what they’re known for….is such a cheap, bad parlor trick. That Sooo WORKS! Nicking your character from history is such a “branded” quality of lipstick, for marketing your latest pig!
Unfortunately, the masses loves ‘em some slasher comic-book fake history.
Even more unfortunate….modern kids watch ‘em and actually think they’re ‘learning’ about history & the figure’s work…’learnin’ somethin’ !
Sad to think how many Poe ‘reports’ will be turned-in, in future, quoting this mutated film farce, rather than from actually reading the man’s stories.
Maybe w/ good box office it’ll make it to series on ‘The History Channel’.
I was born and grew up in Baltimore. I’ve been to the Poe Museum so many times and have always grown up with Poe in my home. Doing a movie on the last few days of his life, even though there are many views on how he died, is a great idea! Of course, I wish they would film in Baltimore City, since it’s where everything took place, but I completely understand that most of Baltimore no longer looks like what it did when Poe was alive. And I hope Cusack does a good job with portraying Poe. It’s a very hard role since there were so many things wrong with Poe and he, according to letters, had a very distinct personality that is pretty hard to mimic. But all the luck to him and to the film. Can’t wait till it comes out!
John Cusack is a perfect choice to play Edgar Allan Poe, he looks like him, all he needs is a mustache.
Cusack’s Tweet:
“officiali- will play edgar allen poe in fall-a-film called the raven, send any poe- gold – my way as i begin this journey into the abyss.”
Seriously? Did this guy graduate from high school?
Cusack has the acting chops to put together a great Poe characterization. It’s the screenwriting and direction that I worry about. Neither Poe nor his works have ever been portrayed properly on the screen.