By Leah MarieAnn Klett, Assistant Editor Sunday, March 22, 2026

When people hear about a documentary on angels and demons, they might expect sensationalism or speculation. 

But investigative journalist Billy Hallowell says his goal with the new film “Investigating the Supernatural: Angels and Demons” was the opposite: seeking to carefully examine evidence and expert testimony surrounding claims of the unseen world and help viewers use it as a tool for apologetics.

“When you get into these stories, you want proof. I kept going into all these claims thinking, ‘Is this really true? Can I really believe this?’” Hallowell told The Christian Post. 

The documentary, part of a three-film investigative series from CBN, follows Hallowell as he travels across the country interviewing theologians, scientists, doctors and eyewitnesses about experiences involving angelic intervention, demonic encounters and miraculous healings.

Part one of the “Investigating the Supernatural” series, which focused on miracles,” recently won the Aletheia Documentary Award, which recognizes excellence in documentary storytelling, at the 2026 Movieguide Awards.

Like the first installment of the series, rather than relying solely on faith-based claims, “Investigating the Supernatural: Angels and Demons” includes voices from theological, medical and scientific fields, including Lee Strobel, Hugh Ross, Gregory Boyd, Sam Storms, John Burke and others.

“We wanted to unpack not just evidence and what people were saying and try to find proof,” Hallowell said. “We also wanted to find doctors and scientists, people who actually look at the world through evidence.”

One such voice featured in the documentary, written by Jarrod Anderson, is Dr. Richard Gallagher, a psychiatrist known for his work examining alleged cases of demonic possession.

“Dr. Richard Gallagher actually wasn’t a believer,” Hallowell said. “He was a skeptic until he started exploring cases of claims of the demonic.”

For the 42-year-old New York native, the investigation required him to set aside some of his own assumptions about the supernatural. While he had previously researched demonic activity while writing his 2020 book Playing with Fire,he said he had spent less time thinking about angels and how they operate.

“In Scripture, you see angels show up, deliver a message and leave,” he said. “But I had never really thought about that before this project. Where do they go? If they’re God’s messengers and they serve believers, what does that actually look like?”

The investigation also required him to evaluate extraordinary personal testimonies with caution.

“There was one story in particular that involved a near-death experience, an angel encounter and a healing,” Hallowell said. “When I first read about it, I thought, ‘This just seems too much. Is this really true?’ So a lot of it was putting aside preconceived notions and just looking at the facts.”

Still, Hallowell emphasized that the film does not attempt to force viewers toward a predetermined conclusion.

“We’re not trying to tell you exactly what to think,” he said. “We’re providing the stories, and viewers can decide for themselves.”

Despite skepticism in some academic circles, Hallowell argues that belief in the spiritual realm is far more common than many assume. And belief in supernatural forces is far from unique to Christianity.

“There are people who want to pretend it’s weird to believe in angels and demons,” he said. “But when you actually look at the polling data, the majority of Americans believe in a spiritual realm.”

“Since the beginning of time, virtually every culture has documented the spiritual realm in some way,” Hallowell said. “People have experiences, and those experiences shape belief.”

Based on his research, Hallowell believes modern Western skepticism often stems from a worldview that prioritizes material explanations above all else.

“A lot of material scientists are so focused on the here and now that they’re not willing to look beyond it,” he said. “But people are still having experiences today. When you ask them, they’ll say, ‘I don’t know exactly what it is, but there’s something more.’”

Filming the documentary also came with its own emotional and spiritual weight. Hallowell said he and the production team frequently began filming days with prayer, particularly when tackling stories involving spiritual warfare. At times, he said, the team experienced unusual stress during production.

“I’m not someone who walks around saying there’s a demon under every rock,” he said. “But there were moments where things felt very heavy.”

“Sometimes you’d show up to film, and everybody’s kids were sick or something else had gone wrong,” he said. “You can say that’s just life, and sometimes it is, but there were moments where it felt heavier than normal. So we would pray through it.”

The documentary’s release around Easter was intentional, Hallowell said, because the themes of spiritual conflict and redemption are central to the Christian faith. He pointed to Ephesians 6, describing a struggle “not against flesh and blood, but against powers and principalities.”

“I think a lot of people read the Bible as though it’s just a book about the past,” he said. “But we’re still part of that story. The battle between good and evil is still unfolding.”

While Christians believe Christ’s death and resurrection secured ultimate victory over sin, Hallowell said believers are still living in the midst of that spiritual struggle.

“You can’t win a battle you don’t know you’re in,” he said. “A lot of people are walking around confused and unaware that there is a spiritual battle happening.”

Beyond sparking discussion, Hallowell hopes the documentary can also serve as a tool for discipleship and apologetics. The filmmakers plan to release a Bible study alongside the film to help churches and small groups engage with the topics raised.

“These are topics people are inherently interested in,” he said. “Even people who aren’t Christians are fascinated by the supernatural.”

That cultural fascination, he believes, creates an opportunity for meaningful conversations about faith.

“Every October, horror movies about demons and ghosts come out, and people flock to them,” he said. “There’s natural intrigue.”

Hallowell believes that intrigue can be redirected toward deeper spiritual exploration, especially among younger audiences.

“I think the supernatural is actually an opportunity for apologetics,” he said. “These conversations can open doors to talk about faith in ways that resonate with the next generation.”

Watch “Investigating the Supernatural: Angels and Demons” here.

News Source : https://www.christianpost.com/news/billy-hallowell-investigates-angels-demons-in-doc.html