John Cusack is looking pretty dashing in his romanticist digs, appearing in an Associated Press set photo as Edgar Allan Poe.
Snapped on the set of James McTeigue’s fantasy take on Poe’s final days, The Raven, you can see John’s been dipped into a gooey vat of Gothic glumness all the way up to his goatee- even if he looks a bit more like he’s waiting for lunch in this photo than actively pondering the macabre mysteries of the universe. Cusack is looking appropriately weathered and stretched in the photo as well, which is sure to make children of the 80s feel old today.
The film will also star Luke Evans and Alice Eve, as Poe’s accompanying detective and kidnapped girlfriend respectively, and aims to throw historical accuracy to the wind as McTeigue explores the world as Poe saw it, and fills in the wide gaps in Poe’s own story. This one has gotten in front of cameras fairly under-the-radar so there’s not a ton of details about story, tone, or even other cast, but there’s the potential for the film to be an interesting addition to next year’s slate. McTeigue’s V for Vendetta proved the director has affinity for the dark back-alleys and cobblestone paths, even if he’s exchanging alternate-history London for mid-19th century Baltimore.
Look for more details or photos as the shoot progresses.