First Look: John Cusack As Edgar Allen Poe In 'The Raven'

By Germain LussierNov. 15, 2010 10:30 am EST

NO PHOTO

Nevermore will you say you haven't seen what John Cusack looks like as legendary master of horror, Edgar Allen Poe. The High Fidelity actor is currently in Budapest shooting The Raven with director James McTeigue, who directed V for Vendetta. In the film, Poe goes on a search for a murderer who is mimicking crimes from his works. Check out the full body shot and more info about the film after the jump.

Here's the photo. Thanks to Gawker for the heads up. The film also stars Alice Eve and Lucas Evans, reportedly as Poe's finance and another detective.

We've written about The Raven before – when McTeigue came aboard as well as when Cusack was cast. Plus, we heard rumors that Jeremy Renner and Ewan McGregor were also up for the role. In addition to that, here's a wrap up Russ did of all the info we have on the project.

The Raven is 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.

McTeigue describes it "like the poem, The Raven, itself, crossed with Se7en."

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.

What do you think of the look of Cusack here? Seems pretty spot on to me. And I can't be the only one looking forward to the actor taking on a more dramatic role as opposed to his recent ones in big budget blockbusters and quirky comedies, right?