"The Raven" trailer: John Cusack channels Edgar Allan Poe

(CBS) A new trailer has been released for "The Raven," a thriller that stars John Cusack as legendary writer Edgar Allan Poe.

The film, directed by James McTeigue ("V for Vendetta"), is a fictionalized version of the last days of Poe's life, in which he is called in by authorities after a killer begins committing murders inspired by his stories.

One of the suspects, the trailer reveals, is Poe himself. "What can not be disputed is your imagination is the inspiration of a horrendous crime," Detective Emmitt Fields (Luke Evans) tells him.

Based on the clip, the film appears to have elements of period thrillers like "Sleepy Hollow" and "From Hell" - cobblestone streets, swishing capes and lots of drama.

The date of the trailer's release is also significant - Oct. 7 is the anniversary of Poe's death, at age 40, in 1849.

"The Raven" is set to hit theaters on March 9, 2012.

Tell us: What do you think of the trailer?