CinemaBlend received an unconfirmed scoop that Sylvester Stallone has met with Viggo Mortensen and has offered him the role of Edgar Allan Poe in his upcoming biopic, Poe. According to the source, Mortensen is considering the role although he wants some slight revisions in the script. The film which is scheduled to go into production next year, chronicles the life of the legendary American writer, from his famous works and bouts with madness and depression, to his mysterious death in 1849. Mortensen is a talented actor and certainly an interesting choice.
Robert Downey, Jr. was once in talks to play the famous poet. Many people have suggested Johnny Depp for the role of Poe, but Depp is older now than Poe was when he died. Milo Ventimiglia has also been rumored for the role, and even has a Stallone connection, having played Rocky’s son in Rocky Balboa.
Stallone plans to direct the film based on a script he also wrote.
November 14th, 2007 at 6:41 am
I think this is a wonderful project and great casting! Viggo is familiar with dark characters, having played the Devil in Prophecy, the bad guy in Deception/Ruby Cairo, and the really bad Frankie in Sean Penn’s Indian Runner LONG before anyone ever thought of Aragorn, Frank Hopkin (Hidalgo), Tom Stall/Joey Cusak (A History of Violence) or Nikolai (Eastern Promises).
As an artist/poet/photographer as well as an actor, I think Viggo would be the perfect choice.
Viggo has said he likes to work with intelligent directors, and I think Sylvester Stallone would be (perhaps surprisingly) just his cup o tea. Many people don’t know that he wrote Rocky as well as starred in it, and the writing behind a great film is what really makes it great. I’m thinking that Mr. Stallone has had his fun capitalizing on his Rocky image (and quite a long run of fun it’s been, btw) and now he’s ready to use his head again…
I’m hoping this comes about!
November 14th, 2007 at 3:20 pm
Fingers crossed, excellent choice. Would love to see Sly and Viggo milk Oscars out of this one. Viggo makes it a lock that this film would be dark and serious, but not pretentious. Anyone read the script??
November 14th, 2007 at 4:35 pm
Stallone is that last person who should be allowed to touch this.
November 14th, 2007 at 7:39 pm
I hope Sly will pull off another ‘Rocky’ with ‘Poe’.
November 14th, 2007 at 8:24 pm
Definitely right there with Dan.
January 10th, 2008 at 9:11 pm
Well personally I hope Stallone’s project crashes and burns. That sob put this on a fast track because of MY Poe project. I approached him at an event to talk about our mutual love of Poe. Stallone lied to my face and said he had no interest in Poe anymore and that his project was dead. Three days later the press release came out announcing his Poe project, allegedly with Robert Downey, Jr. and allegedly going into fast production. Based on the summary I’ve read, Stallone is butchering Poe’s life to bits, straying from fact and perpetuating fiction. His treatment of the subject is akin to Rufus Griswold’s obituary of EAP.
April 16th, 2008 at 2:35 pm
I also agree with Dan. Stallone isn’t the right man for this project. And I would prefer Johnny Depp playing the role of Poe. To me he seems to be the only actor who could do justice to Poe…