Edgar Allan Poe turns action hero in the movie 'The Raven'
Oh, so you missed the part in English class about Edgar Allan Poe solving murders?
The famous writer is coming to the big screen on April 27 and will be played by John Cusack, though not in a staid biopic. The movie, titled 鈥淭he Raven,鈥� will consist of a fictional account of the end of Poe鈥檚 life, during which 鈥� according to 鈥淩aven" 鈥� a serial killer began committing murders based on Poe鈥檚 grislier stories. The police ask for Poe鈥檚 help in solving the mystery, but the writer himself soon becomes a suspect. And why not? After all, he was the one who imagined these crimes in the first place.
In addition to Cusack as the writer, the movie will star 鈥淭he Three Musketeers鈥� actor Luke Evans as Detective Emmett Fields, 鈥�Downton Abbey鈥� star (he plays valet Bates) Brendan Coyle as a character named Reagan, and actress Alice Eve as Poe鈥檚 love interest named Emily. It鈥檚 unclear whether Eve鈥檚 character is Poe鈥檚 wife Virginia Clemm, who would have died before the end of Poe鈥檚 life; Sarah Elmira Royster, a woman with whom Poe reputedly became involved with later in life; or a completely fictional character altogether.
In the film, the mysterious killer challenges Poe to solve the murders and takes Emily captive, enclosing her in what appears to be a coffin. In a disguised voice, the killer tells the writer he is his 鈥渂iggest fan.鈥�
The movie has released a full-length trailer and TV commercials. Check out the newest TV spot below:
Molly Driscoll is a Monitor contributor.
Join the Monitor's book discussion on and .
