#Gillian Anderson, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Robert Duvall, And More Join The Cast Of Netflix Feature The Pale Blue Eye

Melling plays the lead role of macabre poet and writer Edgar Allan Poe, whose short stories and dark poems have influenced writers for generations since his death in 1849. His stories have found their way into everything from feature-length Roger Corman adaptations to a “Saw V” trap pulled from Poe’s “The Pit and the Pendulum” (said trap was also used — though not with the Jigsaw killer touch — in “The Black Cat” segment of George A. Romero and Dario Argento’s 1990 anthology “Two Evil Eyes”). And the real Poe did indeed attend West Point as a cadet … for a few months, before intentionally catching a court-martial. That’s not the focal point of this mystery-thriller, but as someone who lives for drama and military non-compliance, I’m all in for this movie. As far as fictionalizations of the famous bard go, this one seems unique enough to warrant a watch.

Netflix will host the film, which is produced by John Lesher and Tyler Thompson of Cross Creek Pictures (“The Trial of the Chicago 7”) alongside Bale and Cooper. For the latter pair, this will be their third time working together. Their previous collaborations include “Hostiles” and “Out of the Furnace.” Dylan Weathered and Tracey Landon share an executive producer credit.