John Cusack (2012, The Factory) recently jumped on Twitter and confirmed that he has officially signed onto play Edgar Allan Poe in the upcoming thriller The Raven, which will be directed by James McTeigue (V for Vendetta). The film will be based on the Poe’s classic poem, and is set in the final five ‘mysterious’ days of the author’s life, when he gets wrapped up in a serial killer investigation.

Now, THR reports that Luke Evans (Tamara Drewe, The Three Musketeers) and Alice Eve (The Decoy Bride, ATM) are in talks to join the cast of the film. Evans will play a detective who partners with Poe (John Cusack) to search for a serial killer who has kidnapped Poe’s fiancee (played by Eve) and has gone on a murder spree that mimics the author’s works.

Jeremy Renner (Mission: Impossible IV, The Avengers) was previously attached to the detective role taken on by Evans. Renner opted instead to join the cast of the new Mission: Impossible film.

The Raven is slated to hit theaters in 2011.