WIRE Buzz: T'he Empty Man' fills out trailer; Avatar sequel comic lands at Dark Horse; more

On the first night, you hear him. On the second night, you see him. And on the third night, he finds you... After watching the first trailer for The Empty Man (a Disney release under the 20th Century Studios banner), we're pretty sure Freddy Krueger hides under his covers each night, fearing the titular supernatural entity.

Based on the BOOM! Studios comic by Cullen Bunn, the new horror flick follows a retired cop (James Badge Dale) looking into the disappearances of local teenagers. He soon gets more than he bargained for when he stumbles upon a secretive group that's trying to summon a horrific, otherworldly (and Slenderman-esque) being known simply as "The Empty Man."

Making his feature debut, David Prior wrote and directed the movie. Marin Ireland, Stephen Root, Ron Canada, Robert Aramayo, Joel Courtney, and Sasha Frolova co-star.

Grab an empty glass bottle and check out the trailer below:

When the comic became an ongoing series in 2018, The Hollywood Reporter wrote that the monicker of 'Empty Man' "doesn’t refer to just one person — instead, it’s the name of a mysterious disease that has swept across the country, with symptoms including hallucinations, suicidal dementia and fits of rage, all leading to either death or an “empty” catatonic state. The disease has prompted the rise of cults related to a string of disappearances that has pushed the FBI and CDC together in an attempt to find a cure and prevent more kidnappings as the virus continues to spread."

Credit: Disney/20th Century Studios

The Empty Man will be summoned to theaters next Friday, Oct. 23. Tickets are now on sale here.

James Cameron's Avatar sequels won't start being released for another two years, but Dark Horse Comics is hitching a last-minute interstellar flight to Pandora in a brand-new limited series that serves as a sequel to the first film.

Consisting of four issues, Avatar: The Next Shadow will continue the story of Jake Sully (played by Sam Worthington on the big screen) after he swapped his frail human body for a strong Na’vi one. Days after the destruction of Hometree, Jake struggles to settle internal conflicts that threaten to tear the Omaticaya clan apart. As if that wasn't enough, he also needs to thwart a treacherous plot to oust him from the group.

Credit: Dark Horse Comics

The Next Shadow is written by Jeremy Barlow (AVP: Thicker Than Blood) with art from Josh Hood (We Can Never Go Home). Gui Balbi (Alien: The Original Screenplay) is handling the covers. Issue #1 goes on sale Jan. 6, 2021.

This is Dark Horse's third Avatar comic after 2017's Avatar: Brothers and 2019's Avatar: Tsu’tey’s Path — both of which took place during the events of the 2009 movie. Next Shadow is the first one that serves as a sequel.

To celebrate the debut of The Simpsons' 31st season in Disney+, the subscription streaming service has launched the "Simpsons Forever" campaign, which signifies "the forever place of everyone’s favorite family in the hearts and homes of fans around the world," reads the press release. As of today, Springfield acolytes have access to nearly 300 hours of the longest running scripted primetime sitcom in television history.

A special collection of 30 "Treehouse of Horror" episodes is now accessible, but it's only the start of a new feature. The release adds that "Disney+ will curate more collections of episodes for new viewers to discover. Every month, Disney+ will also highlight its favorite episodes themed to current events and trends in Disney and pop culture."

Each month will also be marked by Disney+ spotlighting "its favorite episodes themed to current events and trends in Disney and pop culture." The November picks are as follows:

• The Mandalorian Returns / “Co-Dependents’ Day” (Season 15, Episode 15):

Disappointed by a Cosmic Wars movie, Bart and Lisa go to wine country to complain to the filmmaker.

• The Right Stuff Streaming Now / “Deep Space Homer” (Season 5, Episode 15):

In an attempt to send an average man into space, Homer and Barney are recruited as astronauts. Homer saves the mission from disaster, but is dismayed when credit goes to a carbon rod.

• Monday Night Football on ESPN /  “Bart Star” (Season 9, Episode 7):

Bart joins a junior-league football team. When Homer becomes coach, he replaces quarterback Nelson with the less talented Bart.

• 30 Years of Home Alone / “Homer Alone” (Season 3, Episode 15):

When Marge goes to a local spa, she leaves Bart and Lisa with Patty and Selma and Maggie with Homer.

• Nov. 3 Election Day - “Sideshow Bob Roberts” (Season 6, Episode 5):

Sideshow Bob runs for mayor as the candidate of Springfield's Republican party. He wins and attempts to construct a freeway overpass where the Simpson home stands.

• Nov. 26 Thanksgiving Day - “Thanksgiving of Horror” (Season 30, Episode 8):

Three tales of Thanksgiving terror: a bloody first "turkey day," a virtual Marge cooks for survival against real Marge, and a space mission is threatened by a murderous side dish.

• Nov. 27 Black Friday - “Tis the 30th Season” (Season 30, Episode 10):

After a terrible Black Friday where Marge can’t get the gift the kids desperately want, the Simpsons try to spend a relaxing Florida Christmas.