This seems like really bizarre casting. John Cusack as Edgar Allen Poe? I just don’t see it!

John Cusack has confirmed he is set to play Edgar Allan Poe in a new murder mystery.

The actor will star as the horror writer in director James McTeigue’s forthcoming “The Raven,” a fictionalized account of Poe’s mysterious last days chasing a serial killer.

In a post on Twitter, Cusack announces: “Official I will play Edgar Allen Poe in fall. A film called The Raven, send any Poe gold my way as I begin this journey into the abyss.”

Ewan McGregor and Jeremy Renner were previously in talks for the project but their parts were not specified. It is unclear if either actor is still involved.

The period thriller is due to begin filming in autumn and is set to hit theatres next year.

Tags: Edgar Allen Poe, John Cusack