From MoviesBlog at MTV:

In case you haven’t heard, “V for Vendetta” director James McTeigue is getting himself set to helm “The Raven,” a fictionalized take on the last days of Edgar Allen Poe.

It is widely known that Poe died shortly after he was found wandering the streets of Baltimore, dazed and incoherent. No clear story was ever assembled of what left him in that state. A variety of theories exist of course, and McTeigue is prepping to put forth one of his own.

In “The Raven,” Poe’s last days are spent in pursuit of a serial killer who is modeling his (or her?) crimes after the murders in the author’s stories. Poe was 40 when he died, and the director is looking to fill the role with someone who can play that age. In a recent interview, McTiegue revealed to MTV that “I’m getting very close to the person who I want to be Poe. I think the person we’re looking at will make a great Poe.”

Interesting. Not only is McTeigue close to nailing down his Poe, but it appears that he has someone specific in mind. Someone who can play a 40 year old. The odds certainly favor Johnny Depp, even if his plate is too full to make such a commitment. He looks the part certainly; his take on Sweeney Todd bore some inescapable resemblances to Poe.