The Empty Man

The Empty Man is a 2020 American supernatural horror thriller film written, directed, and edited by David Prior, based on Cullen Bunn and Vanesa R. Del Rey’s graphic novel of same name published by Boom! Studios. The film stars James Badge Dale, Marin Ireland, Stephen Root, Ron Canada, Robert Aramayo, Joel Courtney, and Sasha Frolova. It follows an ex-cop who, upon an investigation into a missing girl, discovers a secret cult. Originally filmed in August 2017, the film received poor scores at test screenings and distributor 20th Century Studios lost faith in its commercial prospects. The final product, theatrically released in the United States on October 23, 2020, was still considered a rough edit by Prior. The film received mostly negative reviews from critics and audiences at the time of its release, although reception improved after it came out on home media and has since gained a cult following.