Empire is featuring “Avatar” on their October cover and Panasonic will be touring the country with huge TV screens to advertise the film and their 3D technology. Meanwhile, star Sam Worthington claims that the reason director James Cameron opted to debut the trailer online the day before “Avatar Day” was purely tactical; Cameron “wanted to bring people back to the movies” and remind them about the astronomical differences between a computer screen and the “big screen,” not to mention the enormity of IMAX screens. My initial reaction to the trailer was apathetic at best, and though I still felt reserved toward the “Avatar Day” footage, I left that event wanting more. I’ve since warmed toward the trailer after rewatching it a few times, but that really should not be the point of advertising. It should hook you immediately. But perhaps this and the impending Panasonic tour will continue the campaign to wow audiences with novelty. Nobody ever said Cameron wasn’t a showman. And when all is said and done, I’m betting the film will be a success, rendering all of our previewing hand-wringing mute.

Moving on, here is an unused “Inglourious Basterds” poster and over here is a viral video that may or may not have anything to do with “Cloverfield 2.” Enjoy!

Clips

• “Big Fan“—Patton Oswalt’s dark football comedy.

Posters

• “Dollhouse“—Season 2 of Joss Whedon’s sci-fi TV show starts Friday, September 25.
• “The House of the Devil“—Ti West attempted to make a horror film that looks like it’s from the ’80s. The poster certainly delivers.
• “Pandorum“—A motion poster for the sci-fi/horror film.
• “Whip It“—Drew Barrymore’s directorial debut about roller derby arrives October 2.

Trailers

• “Agora“—Alejandro Amenabar’s Roman Egypt-set epic, starring Rachel Weisz, opens October 9 in Spain.
• “The Descent: Part 2“—This sequel begins right where the rather entertaining first horror film left off.
• “Inception“—Christopher Nolan’s “Matrix”-like follow-up to “The Dark Knight” (learn the plot here!)
• “The Men Who Stare At Goats“—George Clooney, Jeff Bridges, Ewan McGregor, and Kevin Spacey star in a true-life comedy about a military program devoted to harnessing psychic powers.
• “White on Rice“—A rather strange romantic comedy opens in select theaters soon.