The Empty Man (film)

The Empty Man
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	David Prior
Written by	David Prior
Based on	The Empty Man by Cullen Bunn Vanesa R. Del Rey
Produced by	Ross Richie Stephen Christy Adam Yoelin
Starring	James Badge Dale Marin Ireland Stephen Root Ron Canada Robert Aramayo Joel Courtney Sasha Frolova
Cinematography	Anastas Michos
Edited by	Andrew Buckland David Prior
Music by	Christopher Young Lustmord[1]
Production companies	Boom! Studios Out of Africa
Distributed by	20th Century Fox[2]
Release dates	October 22, 2020 (2020-10-22) (Mexico) October 23, 2020 (2020-10-23) (United States)
Running time	137 minutes
Countries	United States South Africa[3]
Language	English
Budget	$16 million[4]
Box office	$4.8 million[2][5]

The Empty Man is a 2020 supernatural horror film written and directed by David Prior in his feature directorial debut, 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 as an international co-production between the United States, South Africa, and France, the film received poor scores at test screenings and distributor 20th Century Fox 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. Released in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the film grossed $4 million worldwide against a budget of $16 million. It received mostly negative reviews from critics and audiences at the time of its release. Reception improved after the film came out on home media and streaming services, and it was reported by some publications that The Empty Man gained a cult following.