John Cusack will begin shooting The Raven in Hungary and Serbia this October. (Reed Saxon/Associated Press)

John Cusack, last seen in the mock '80s movie Hot Tub Time Machine, is set to play Edgar Allan Poe in a fictional thriller.

Cusack will portray the American literary icon in The Raven, directed by James McTeigue (Ninja Assassin, V For Vendetta ), according to the Hollywood Reporter.

"Send any poe-gold my way as i begin this journey into the abyss," the 44-year-old performer said on his Twitter account late Friday.

He also revealed in the tweet that the role had originated with British actor Michael Sheen, known for his portrayal of ex-British Prime Minister Tony Blair in The Queen.

"Just a few weeks ago I spoke at Comic-Con with actor Michael Sheen, who said he planned to portray Poe during his last days in a film called The Raven." Comic-Con is the annual pop culture convention in San Diego.

The story will be set in the last five days of Poe's life. The plot circles on the kidnapping of Poe's fiancée by a serial killer, causing the writer to partner with a detective in search of her.

In the movie, the killer goes on a murder rampage that parallels the author's work.

Shooting in Serbia and Hungary is set to begin in October. The European locations will stand in for the city of Baltimore, circa 1849.