John Cusack really got into the role of Edgar Allan Poe for his part in James McTeigue’s upcoming thriller “The Raven,” due out next year and named for the landmark poem. The film, which is set in the last five days of Poe’s life and centers on a serial killer who’s using Poe’s writings as inspiration for his murders, was on display Friday during the Relativity panel in Hall H, and Cusack wowed the audience with his knowledge about the writer: “I saw some of Hunter S. Thompson in Poe — his unflinching ability to delve into the abyss and come back. He reminded me of Hunter in that way.”

He told stories of Poe’s antics: “He was invited to the White House, got drunk, was kicked out.” And of his tragic life: “Poe’s mother died of tuberculosis. Poe’s first wife died of tuberculosis. ‘The Raven’ made him a rock star, but he didn’t have the copyright, so he didn’t make any money.” The 45-year old actor clearly has great appreciation for the character he embodied: “He was the godfather of Goth.”

Co-stars Alice Eve and Luke Evans were also on hand to chat up the movie with director McTeigue — and share their own horror stories from the production. Eve, in particular, told stories of eating a lot of dirt in scenes where her character is buried alive: “James would throw it in my face. We were in Serbia, in the winter. I had a spit cup next to me. So … Method.”

IGN Movies is excited to debut the first teaser poster for The Raven, Relativity Media’s upcoming thriller set during the mysterious last days of author-poet Edgar Allen Poe. The film, directed by V for Vendetta’s James McTeigue, will be part of Relativity’s panel presentation at San Diego Comic-Con.

Here’s the film’s official synopsis: “In this gritty thriller, Edgar Allen Poe (John Cusack, Being John Malkovich) joins forces with a young Baltimore detective (Luke Evans, Immortals) to hunt down a mad serial killer who’s using Poe’s own works as the basis in a string of brutal murders. When a mother and daughter are found brutally murdered in 19th century Baltimore, Detective Emmett Fields (Luke Evans) makes a startling discovery: the crime resembles a fictional murder described in gory detail in the local newspaper—part of a collection of stories penned by struggling writer and social pariah Edgar Allan Poe. But even as Poe is questioned by police, another grisly murder occurs, also inspired by a popular Poe story.”

John Cusack is set to co-star in Lee Daniels’ “The Paperboy,” an indie drama that marks the helmer’s follow-up to “Precious.”

Ensemble pic stars Zac Efron, while Nicole Kidman and Matthew McConaughey are also in advanced negotiations for key roles.

Cusack replaces Tobey Maguire, who was forced to drop out of the project when its shooting schedule conflicted with his dates on “The Great Gatsby.”

Based on the 1995 novel by Pete Dexter, Florida-set period pic finds two brothers, a reporter and a college dropout, teaming up to investigate a possible miscarriage of justice surrounding a death row inmate convicted of killing the local sheriff.

Cusack will play the condemned prisoner, while Kidman will play a woman with a dark side who writes letters to men on death row.

Daniels is producing along with Hilary Shor and Pedro Almodovar, who developed the project for more than a decade. Avi Lerner, Trevor Short, Danny Dimbort and Cassian Elwes exec produce, while Millennium/Nu Image is handling foreign sales.

Cusack recently wrapped the indie comedy “Dictablanda,” which he also co-wrote and produced through his New Crime Prods. banner. Thesp will soon be seen playing Edgar Allan Poe in James McTeigue’s “The Raven,” which Relativity Media opens March 9, 2012.

With some studios choosing to skip this year’s Comic-Con, we were relieved to see Relativity is still in, and will be bringing along the stars of four of their upcoming films – The Raven, Immortals, Haywire, and Shark Night 3D.

The Raven cast, including John Cusack, Luke Evans, Alice Eve, and director James McTeigue, are all expected to attend the movie’s Panel on Friday, July 22 in Hall H (11:30am – 12:00pm), followed by an autograph signing. The movie is follows Edgar Allen Poe as he joins forces with a young Baltimore detective to hunt down a mad serial killer who’s using his works as the basis for a string of brutal murders.

Until this first-look photo, it was difficult to imagine John Cusack, likeable and attractive, as the mysterious and macabre Edgar Allen Poe. But in the upcoming The Raven (Relativity, March 12, 2012), loosely inspired by Poe’s life, Cusack looks craggy-faced and alarming as the American gothic literary genius. The film is shooting in Serbia for Baltimore circle 1846; Luke Evans (Tamara Drewe), Alice Eve (She’s Out of My League and Brendan Gleeson (In Bruges) co-star.

Directed by James McTeigue (V For Vendetta), the film takes cues from both the titular poem and David Fincher’s Se7en; Poe hunts for a serial killer, whose brutal killings draw their inspiration from his own poems and stories.

It’s no surprise if you’ve read his dark tales that Poe was a troubled and tormented author. Details of his life are certainly cinematic—in dramatic tragic hero fashion, the causes of Poe’s death were heavily debated at the time; many people claimed to have seen him long after he died. The Raven, of course, will posit its own resolution in a film that blends and blurs fiction and reality.

John Cusack is a good leading man. He has a regular guy quality that people like. He is decent looking but has the certain dark side that his fellow ’80s teen idols did not have. Hollywood likes him and gives him decent roles. For the most part, moviegoers can’t complain about him either.

In December, Cusack’s latest movie will be released. It’s called “The Factory” and it’s the tale of a cop following a serial killer in Buffalo, New York. Cusack plays alongside Jennifer Carpenter, a lovely brunette Kentuckyan. Carpenter is probably best known for her TV role in “Dexter.” In “Dexter, she worked alongside her husband Michael C. Hall.