San Diego [US], July 25 : Actor John Cusack has revealed that his shift from the silver screen to fiction writing was driven by a desire for complete creative control, free from the constraints of traditional film studios according to People.
Speaking at the 2026 San Diego Comic-Con, the 60-year-old actor introduced his debut graphic novel, 'Momo,' describing the medium as a natural evolution of his cinematic interests.
"I always thought they were the closest things to film, really," Cusack told Variety at the event. "You're picking out shots, they're so cinematic."
Cusack said the medium offered him the freedom to tell stories without the interference often encountered within the Hollywood studio system.
Published by Mad Cave Studios and illustrated by Ignacio Noe, 'Momo' is a genre-blending narrative set in 1972. The story follows two fugitives on a mission to recover an ancient artifact for television icon Jackie Gleason, blending elements of science fiction with political satire.
Explaining why he chose the format, Cusack said, "I thought, I wanna tell a story, but I didn't wanna negotiate telling a story, really," according to People.
"When you ask somebody to put USD 20 or USD 30 million into a bank account (for a film), they wanna have an opinion and they're afraid and all that stuff," he added.
Cusack said working on the graphic novel allowed him and illustrator Ignacio Noe to bring their vision to life without outside interference.
"This was just like, I wrote it, and I said, 'I like the story,' and then I got this beautiful, wonderful artist, Ignacio Noe, to do the illustrations and so nobody edited anything I wrote or that he drew. And so it's really a piece of work that was just done by two people who did a great job putting it out," he said.
Calling the project "an anti-algorithm thing," Cusack added, "There's no bull, and there's no committee. There's no computer up in Seattle that's poll testing it."
The 'High Fidelity' actor also said he would be interested in starring in a film adaptation of 'Momo' if the graphic novel is eventually picked up by a studio.
'Momo' marks Cusack's graphic novel debut. He previously co-authored the 2016 essay collection 'Things That Can and Cannot Be Said'.
Reflecting on his film career during a separate appearance in December, Cusack had also said he was glad he never pursued sequels to his movies.
"I was lucky that I never had the desire, or no one asked me to do any sequels," he said, adding that '1408' is the only film he would consider revisiting because, "I think today, you know, most movies suck," according to People.
The move marks a significant creative pivot for the veteran actor, whose career has spanned decades with starring roles in films such as High Fidelity and Say Anything.
'Momo' is scheduled to be released on September 29.