John Cusack plays Poe in movie thriller
Fictional plot circles on search for serial killer
Last Updated: Sunday, August 29, 2010 | 11:51 AM ET
CBC News
Related
Internal Links
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.
Share Tools
FILM REVIEW: Men in Black 3 by Eli Glasner May. 25, 2012 11:40 AM Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones are back in the action sequel Men in Black 3, a third instalment of a series now 15 years old. Though new addition Josh Brolin manages some amazing mimicry as a younger version of Jones, the story doesn't measure up to the weird and wonderful charms of the original, says film reviewer Eli Glasner.
Top News Headlines
- Aylmer triple stabbing leads to first-degree murder charges
- The estranged partner of a young mother who was stabbed to death along with her parents at their home in Aylmer, Que., has been charged with first-degree murder Friday. more »
- Wildfires, high winds put northeastern Ontario on alert
- It's going to be a tense weekend in northeastern Ontario where strong, shifting winds have been fuelling a forest fire that has blanketed the Timmins area with smoke and ash. more »
- Labrador fire out of control
- A forest fire continues to burn out of control in Happy Valley-Goose Bay today, according to provincial firefighting officials. more »
- The risks and responsibilities of taking on Mt. Everest
- The deaths of five climbers last weekend on Mt. Everest, with more summits underway this weekend, fuels the debate about the risks and responsibilities of high altitude climbing. more »
Latest Arts & Entertainment News Headlines
- Modern and traditional art scores at Joyner auction
- Both traditional and modern works fared well at Joyner Waddington's spring art auction in Toronto, with buyers snapping up lots by Group of Seven members as well as more contemporary artists. more »
- Prophetic Cosmopolis premieres at Cannes
- David Cronenberg says he didn't anticipate the Occupy Wall Street movement as he prepared to shoot Cosmopolis, his new film which made its world premiere Friday at the Cannes Film Festival in southern France. more »
- Jennifer Egan's newest story debuts on Twitter
- The latest short story from Pulitzer-winning writer Jennifer Egan is emerging 140 characters at a time via Twitter. more »
- Miller Brittain sketches restored by museum
- Canadian artist and social satirist Miller Brittain's larger than life chalk drawings may once again hang in Saint John. more »
Q Blog
Toni Morrison on her two selves May. 25, 2012 5:57 PM Jian speaks with the celebrated African American author and academic about her two conflicting selves, and her new novel, Home.
CBC Books
Talking about war May. 25, 2012 4:57 PM The public conversation around war has always been complex and thorny. How does Canada's military approach differ from that of other countries? Are we a society of peacekeepers or warriors? These are some of the questions that Noah Richler explores in his new book What We Talk About When We Talk About War.
- Aylmer triple stabbing leads to first-degree murder charges
- Everest victim's husband says family not seeking government help
- B.C. premier unhappy with disgraced Mountie's transfer
- Canada ending 'Buffalo shuffle' for visas, closing consulate
- What a Greek euro exit could mean for Canada
- Third B.C. salmon farm quarantined
- RCMP officer charged in fatal crash
- Police probe Halifax homicide after shooting
- Ottawa man in hospital after lightning strike
