Movies - Nefarious : horror thriller starring Sean Patrick Flanery brings demonic energy to theaters starting April 14

By Mulder, 15 march 2023

North American distribution rights to writer/directors Cary Solomon & Chuck Konzelman’s (God’s not dead, Unplanned) supernatural thriller Nefarious have been acquired by Soli Deo Gloria Releasing, producers Believe Entertainment have announced. The film starring Sean Patrick Flanery and Jordan Belfi, features Tom Ohmer, Eric Hansen, Stelio Savante, Robert Peters, and Cameron Arnett with a cameo by Glenn Beck, opens on more than 1200 screens in North America beginning April 14, 2023. Inspired by the book A Nefarious Plot by New York Times best-selling author Steve Deace, the chilling psychological horror film was produced by Chris Jones (The lucky one), Cary Solomon & Chuck Konzelman, and Sheila Hart (Remember me). Cinematography is by Jason Head (Alita: battle angel), and Brian Jeremiah Smith (Get out) served as editor.

On the day of his scheduled execution, a convicted serial killer (Flanery, The boondock saints) gets a last-minute, court-ordered psychiatric evaluation. The killer astonishes visiting psychiatrist Dr. James Martin (Belfi, Entourage) 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 fears 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.

Writing, directing and producing partners Cary Solomon & Chuck Konzelman have more than thirty years’ 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, God's not dead 2, What if and do you believe.

The directors explain: “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.”

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.”

Synopsis :
On the day of his scheduled execution, a convicted serial killer gets a psychiatric evaluation during which he claims he is a demon, and further claims that before their time is over, the psychiatrist will commit three murders of his own.

Nefarious
Written and directed by Chuck Konzelman, Cary Solomon
Produced by Sheila Hart, Chris Jones       
Starring  Sean Patrick Flanery, Jordan Belfi, James Healy Jr., Eric Hanson, Cameron Arnett, Robert Peters, Stelio Savante, Tom Ohmer, Sarah Hernandez, Jarret LeMaster, Grifon Aldren, John Cann, Mark De Alessandro, Cedric St. Clair, Tina Toner, Maura Corsini, Daniel Martin Berkey, Jeremy Miller, Darrin Merlino, Ethan Millard
Music by Bryan E. Miller
Cinematography : Jason Head
Edited by Brian Jeremiah Smith  
Production companies : A Believe Entertainment Production
Distributed by Believe Entertainment (United States)
Release date : April 14, 2023 (United States)