GRAPEVINE, Texas — When Steve Deace set out to write A Nefarious Plot, he never imagined it would become the foundation for a cultural phenomenon.
And now, with the sequel to the spiritual thriller “Nefarious” officially in production, the author and host of “The Steve Deace Show” finds himself at the center of a movement that blends faith, horror and a somber warning about the nature of evil in America.
“I didn’t plan to write a book about a demonic takeover of America,” the 51-year-old conservative author and talk-show host told The Christian Post. “But inspiration struck me out of nowhere, and I just had to follow where it led.”
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That inspiration turned into a best-selling novel, a critically acclaimed horror film, and now the highly anticipated “Nefarious 2.”
The original film, adapted from Deace’s book by filmmakers Cary Solomon and Chuck Konzelman (“God’s Not Dead,” “Unplanned”), was a surprise hit, drawing audiences from both faith-based and secular circles.
Now, Deace and his team are determined to expand the story despite the many obstacles — some seemingly demonic — they faced in making the first film.
Deace’s journey with Nefarious began in 2016 when, during a press tour for another book, he was struck by a chilling phrase that seemingly emerged from nowhere: “This book is dedicated to all the useful idiots out there, especially those of you who had no idea you were being used all this time — for you proved to be the most useful idiots of them all.”
He immediately jotted the line down, and within hours, the concept of A Nefarious Plot took shape. He reached out to theologians from different backgrounds, both Charismatic and Reformed, to ensure he wasn’t just indulging in creative paranoia. Their response, he said, was unanimous: This was something worth exploring.
The novel follows a high-ranking demon, Nefarious, who details the precise steps taken to erode America’s spiritual foundation. Though the book sold moderately well, it gained a second life when fellow conservative commentator Glenn Beck championed it on his national radio show. That exposure caught the attention of Hollywood producers, leading to the eventual film adaptation.
Deace described the first “Nefarious” film, released in 2023, as a cross between C.S. Lewis’ The Screwtape Letters and the 1991 horror film “Silence of the Lambs.” It followed a psychiatrist, Dr. James Martin (Jordan Belfi), who is tasked with determining whether a convicted serial killer (Sean Patrick Flannery) is mentally competent for execution.
However, the killer claims to be possessed by a demon, and before the day is over, he prophesies that Martin will commit three murders of his own.
Unlike typical horror films that rely on gore and jump scares (“we’re never going to do that,” Deace said), “Nefarious” took a more cerebral approach, delving into theological debates and existential dread.
“We didn’t want to make a cheesy faith-based film,” Deace said. “We wanted to confront real evil in a way that forces people to think.”
The production, however, was plagued by bizarre occurrences. Deace himself nearly died from a severe MRSA infection he mysteriously acquired the day of the film’s premiere.
“Doctors literally had to open my armpit up and scoop the bacteria infection out of my armpit,” he recalled. “They had to do this several times over the course of a couple of days. The doctor told me this is the most pain-intensive procedure that they do without anesthesia.”
Deace wasn’t alone in his pain. Several crew members suffered car accidents. A Catholic priest brought on set for spiritual guidance had to undergo emergency surgery. At one point, lead actors and filmmakers alike began experiencing inexplicable disruptions and illnesses.
“We declared war on the devil, and he fought back,” Solomon told CP in a previous interview. “But God saw us through.”
Despite its success, “Nefarious” faced significant opposition, too. Theaters mysteriously reported sold-out showings that were actually empty. Fire alarms inexplicably went off in multiple locations. The film received an R rating despite containing no profanity, sexual content, or excessive violence — something Solomon and Konzelman attribute to ideological bias.
Yet, the resistance only fueled their determination, Deace said, adding: “If the enemy didn’t want this movie made, that just means we were onto something.”
Deace stressed that “Nefarious” isn’t just entertainment — it’s a warning. “We live in an era where people think they’re basically good, and if God is good, then they don’t need saving,” he said. “But what if that’s all wrong? What if the world is actually fallen? What if people need to see real evil again to be driven back to the light?”
The film’s unexpected success, spending weeks as one of the top 10 movies on Amazon Prime and becoming one of the best-selling horror films of 2023, suggests that audiences are responding to its message, he added.
“The disciples counted it all joy to suffer for the name of Jesus,” he said. “There were many moments of doubt, but I can’t tell you how many notes I have received from people saying, ‘I haven’t been to church, ever. I hadn’t been to church in years. I didn’t think I could get my son back in church. I didn’t think I’d get my prodigal daughter to come back, and your movie helped me bridge a divide and differences with them.'”
With momentum on their side, Deace and his team are pushing forward with “Nefarious 2.” While tight-lipped about major plot points, he revealed that both Sean Patrick Flannery and Jordan Belfi will return for the sequel, which will explore the aftermath of Dr. Martin’s chilling encounter with Nefarious, diving deeper into spiritual warfare and the impossibility of neutrality in the battle between good and evil.
“James [Martin] thinks he can walk away from this, but he’s going to learn that neutrality is not an option,” Deace teased. “Nefarious has unfinished business with him. There’s only two sides to the war, and Nefarious is not happy that James rejected him. He put this plan in motion for several years, manipulated certain events and James’s own life to get him to the point of becoming his Padawan, and Nefarious is going to go Empire Strikes Back on James.”
Unlike the first film, which served as a prequel to A Nefarious Plot, the sequel will explore new ground, blending elements from Deace’s other book, A Nefarious Carol, with an original story that expands the franchise’s mythology.
“James has newfound celebrity; he’s a spokesman for the paranormal and the supernatural,” Deace said. “He’s making bank off of Nefarious, and Nefarious is not happy with that. Some very harsh lessons will have to be taught to James. We are going to get way more into the spiritual warfare aspect of what was only hinted at in the movie.”
“Nefarious,” Deace said, is part of his mission to reclaim the storytelling space for truth. “We have to stop playing nice and start confronting people with reality,” he said. “The most powerful nation in history is absent from end-times prophecy. Why? Maybe because we destroyed ourselves. And maybe, just maybe, ‘Nefarious’ is showing us how.”
Leah M. Klett is a reporter for The Christian Post. She can be reached at: leah.klett@christianpost.com
