Sean Patrick Flanery and Jordan Belfi star in Nefarious, inspired by the book A Nefarious Plot by New York Times best-selling author Steve Deace,
“On the day of his scheduled execution, a convicted serial killer (Flanery) gets a last-minute, court-ordered psychiatric evaluation. The killer astonishes visiting psychiatrist Dr. James Martin (Belfi) by insisting that instead of trying to avoid his execution, he is, in fact, a demon—Nefarious—who wants his execution to go forward.
Nefarious further predicts that before the day is out, the doctor will have committed three murders of his own. As a storm gathers outside the prison, Nefarious chips away at Dr. Martin’s resolve and conviction, confounding and unsettling him so much that he begins to doubt his own sanity and fear for his life. As the two face off, they deliver crackling energy and a series of disturbing preternatural revelations propelling them to an inexorable, astounding conclusion.
Tom Ohmer, Eric Hansen, Stelio Savante, Robert Peters, and Cameron Arnett co-star in the film which features a cameo by Glenn Beck.
The chilling psychological horror film was produced by Chris Jones (The Lucky One), Cary Solomon & Chuck Konzelman, and Sheila Hart (Remember Me), with cinematography by Jason Head (Alita: Batte Angel). Brian Jeremiah Smith (Get Out) served as editor.
Writing, directing, and producing partners Cary Solomon & Chuck Konzelman have more than thirty years of experience in the entertainment industry. Together, they have worked with Warner Brothers, Paramount, Sony Pictures, and 20th Century Fox; with producers Joel Silver, John Davis, Stan Lee, and Crusader Entertainment; and with talent from Bruce Willis to Sylvester Stallone. Their most recent film projects include Unplanned, God’s Not Dead, and more.
“There are monsters, and they are very, very real…inspired by Steve Deace’s invention of a master demon named ‘Lord Nefarious’, we began to wonder what it would look like if someone sat down to have a conversation with such a demon. And what it would sound like, if — for reasons of his own — that demon decided to speak the absolute truth, from his point of view. What would be the dynamics of that? That’s what this movie is about.” The director states. When the filmmakers started shooting inside the Oklahoma State Reformatory, they were the first film crew to ever have been given permission to shoot a feature film in a working prison in the state. As they worked, they learned that old, disused sections of the prison (constructed by inmates) did a lot more than go bump in the night. “And as we walked the now-abandoned cell block with its chipped paint and discarded elements of an era gone by, the eerie sense of sorrow, anger, shame, and bitterness that had lived within these walls was palpable. It was then we knew, this was the perfect place to bring the story of Nefarious to life.”
Nefarious’ setting, malevolent energy and ancient yet contemporary story bleeds through from reality to the screen…and beyond. “If we’ve done our job right,” the directors conclude, “then after watching this film, you will be convinced of the possibility of a personal, supernatural force of darkness who drives the evils of this world. What you decide to do with that knowledge will be up to you.”
Nefarious opens on more than 1,200 screens in North America beginning April 14, 2023.
