Sylvester Stallone is still determined to finish the script for his long-planned biopic of Edgar Allen Poe
Aux Features FilmAlthough his legacy frequently threatens to be buried under 30 years of muscles, explosions, and relentless, unstoppable underdogs, it’s important to remember from time to time that Sylvester Stallone originally made a name for himself, at least in part, as a screenwriter. Between Rocky, First Blood, and more than two dozen other movies, no blockbuster action star has ever had as many “screenplay by” credits to his name. And while many of those movies were admittedly largely concerned with men’s faces and the various ways to violently juxtapose them with fists, guns, and grenades, it’s also clear that Stallone’s identity as a writer is still extremely important to him.
Hence, presumably, the Edgar Allen Poe thing: Stallone has reportedly been working on a script for a biopic about his fellow esteemed writer for going on multiple decades now, with occasional forward movement happening every generation or so. (At one point, Stallone himself was hoping to play the slight, neurotic New Englander; later, he somewhat more reasonably pushed for Robert Downey Jr. to play the role.) Although the project has never gotten much traction—outside a brief period in the mid-2000s, where Stallone seemed a little more confident about getting it off the ground—it’s back in the public’s bemused attention right now because of the star’s social media, where he’s been talking up his efforts to finish it at long last. Looking over a desk that appears to be absolutely covered in earlier drafts and research materials, Stallone reflects on the Poe script being “one of the great challenges of [his] life,” while also noting, in a surprisingly touching sentiment for an Instagram video about Sylvester Stallone obsessing over Edgar Allen Poe, that he’s determined to see the project through to the end, no matter what.
Also, he makes his own “Yo, Poe” joke, forcing us to go with the far-less instantly relatable “Poe-bra” instead, so, hey: Point to you, Sly.
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If this movie actually happens, how about Adam Driver as Poe?
He’s a bit jacked, but I can dig it. I was thinking Iwan Rheon personally.
Too tall and bulky. I always think of Poe as slight and sickly.
There’s only one person who can play this role.You guessed it … Frank Stallone.
Got to be Oscar Isaac.
Dylan Moran as perpetually shitfaced Poe.
Natalie Portman
Surely Oscar Isaac has more relevant experience.
That pic looks like a poster for “Cobra V Raven: Dawn of Justice”
“Neveh maw!”
Quoth the Raven: “I WANT YOUR EYES, PIG.”
“It’s over, Edgar . . . it’s OVER!!!”
“LENOOOOOOOAH!”
He should reconsider casting someone else in the lead role. An inexplicably muscle-bound, 70-year old Edgar Allen Poe would work pretty well, I think.
Well, one can only hope that this will Usher in a cinematic universe of action star-directed literary figure biopics. If it delivers, then we can all open A Cask of Amontillado to celebrate. If not, it will certainly draw a Maelstrom of criticism.
Also inexplicably 70 years old. Poe died young.
Well, that would probably be the plot: You only think he died young. In reality, he faked his death in order to make it easier for him to fight vampires.
He recruits Herman Melville (Dolph Lungren) to help design his battle vehicle, the Nevermore.
I didn’t think it could get any better, but then Schwarzenegger shows up as Goethe in a hot-air balloon in the third act! Was that a spoiler? Sorry.
Or he is a vampire… who looks like he’s aged because he only drinks blood of old people.
Everybody knows Poe died young. What. Sylvester Stallone’s Poe movie presupposes is…maybe he didn’t.
And shockingly not from suicide
Are there a set of stairs in Baltimore for Edgar to run up during his training montage?
Allan.
Thank you!!
I like the idea of a biopic of Edgar Allan Poe, but I hate the idea of Stallone doing it.
I would have paid whatever ticket price they asked just to hear Stallone say: “…the tintinnabulation of the bells, bells, bells.”
Rocky is one of the best movies of all time, and I will fight anyone who disagrees. Creed and Creed 2 are good movies, which not all of the Rocky movies have been, but the original still blows them all away.
The first “Rocky” is wonderful- funny and humane. I love it.
There are so many amazing things about that movie – the performances, the score, the direction, the use of settings, and yes, Stallone’s script. But even though a million people have pointed this out before, the last thing that makes it great is that he loses. 40 years later and the montages have become a cliche, but almost no sports movies (ok, there are a couple exceptions) have the guts to have the hero lose. Or to make the antagonist, Apollo, so likable and sympathetic. Don’t even get me started on the love story.It’s not easy for a sports movie to win Best Picture, but sometimes, excellence can’t be denied. I just wish Stallone didn’t get sucked into all that action star stuff. There’s an alternate universe where he focused on filmmaking instead of franchises. (First Blood is a pretty good, human story – then you get to Rambo 3 and it’s like what am I even watching?)
Not to mention he loses the big fight, though he “wins” by his own personal standard. Which is why it’s a quintessentially 70’s movie.
And while not as good as Rocky, the original Rambo (First Blood) was actually a semi-serious film about a disturbed veteran. But like with Rocky, the sequels quickly became cheesy.
The maddening thing about Stallone is that he had a Rocky in him, but he keeps making Cobras and Expendibles: Part whatevers. The guy can write and he can act better than most action hero types, yet…
I agree completely. It’s a shame what he ended up doing. If ever you can say someone sold out, Stallone sold out.
I remember reading about this just a couple of years after “Rocky” came out and thinking Stallone was out of his mind back then.
I can actually see the screenwriter of Rocky and First Blood having a certain affinity with the sad, strange, short life of Poe. As long as he continues to realize casting himself would be insane, why not?
I already knew Stallone was a writer, though his screenplay credits are somewhat padded by the fact that for years he insisted on a a crack at revising the screenplay and a screenwriter’s credit in order to star in a project. I see this along the lines of Phil Collins’ Alamo obsession. Though I am kind of amused and charmed that the object of Stallone’s obsession is Poe. It’s kind of like finding out that the blockhead at your work whose office is filled with sports memorabilia, pictures of himself and his golfing buddies on the green, and cheesy corporate award sculptures, is also secretly a rabid fan of some underground indie/art rock band.
Classic Poe
So that whole thing about him raping his sister just blew right over, huh?
His sister was a drug addict who wanted money. Their mother confirmed this.
Wow, their mother died when Edgar Poe was two years of age and his sister was even younger. You just pulling things out of thin air?… or the “very trusty internet” for your information??
Huh? What are you talking about?
Nevermore!
“John Ram-Poe” was just waiting there.