Today a rumour has arrived about the lead for The Raven, a film that will be developed from a short online film which to me seemed just like the PlayStation videogame Infamous.

The lead being rumoured is a strong name and would suggest that the production, if the lead is signed, is going to be a big one, but then it would have to be considering the scale of the effects required.

The film The Raven is going to be adapted, or rather extrapolated, from the 2010 shot film by Ricardo de Montreuil and Antonio Perez also called The Raven. The film version has been written by Michael Gilio and Justin Marks and will be directed by Ricardo de Montreuil himself. Universal purchased the rights to the story soon after the short film was seen.

The short film showed a man in the near future where people are under constant surveillance from automated drones flying above the streets, drones that are also armed. The short film follows the lead character who begins to demonstrate special powers and it all looks so much like the game Infamous it’s scary.

As a reminder, here’s the short film so you can see it for yourself:

Now the film version, according to Deadline, is looking closer to production than ever as news comes that an actor is in “deep negotiations” to lead the film. While recently we were hearing that Liam Hemsworth was looking to take the lead, now we’re hearing that it’s Gerard Butler. Considering his current standing in Hollywood you have to think that The Raven is going to be a big production.

It’s interesting though that the director of the short film is going to be taking up directing duties on the feature, it’s certainly a big step forward.

Still though I can’t help looking at the short film and the story and thinking of Infamous, the PlayStation game and sequel, for they are incredibly similar. I wonder if anyone else has noticed.