A New Seasonal Horror Franchise Is Officially A Go

Summary

• The sequel to the slasher flick Thanksgiving is in the works, with filming starting in the spring of 2025.
• The new movie could feature inventive kills, dark humor, and a tongue-in-cheek approach.
• Resurgence of seasonal horror in films like Thanksgiving aims to captivate audiences by reimagining traditions.

Eli Roth, known for his knack for crafting chilling horror flicks with all sorts of subjects, has confirmed that the sequel to his 2023 slasher hit Thanksgiving is officially in the works. With its unique seasonal twist and throwback to classic slasher tropes, the first installment gained both critical acclaim and box office success without the benefit of a full on PR campaign.

The announcement of Thanksgiving 2 marks the birth of what could become a new staple in the horror genre, continuing the trend of seasonal horror franchises that captivate audiences year after year. And because Roth has managed to make people feel as though they are watching a slasher flick with a background in classic slasher tropes, Thanksgiving could take its place alongside other seasonal horror movie franchises like Halloween and others.

Setting The Stage For A Thanksgiving Franchise

The original film in what is now the Thanksgiving movie series was released during the 2023 holiday season and was an immediate surprise hit that carved its place among the year’s most talked-about horror films. Directed by Roth, the movie was the scratching of an itch he’s had for decades that he originally thought was just going to be a fake movie trailer inside of Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez’s Grindhouse.

Now a feature film, Thanksgiving is set in a small town recovering from a deadly Black Friday riot, Thanksgiving introduced audiences to a masked killer who uses the holiday as a backdrop for his twisted revenge. The film begins during a Thanksgiving night at a warehouse store similar to Sam’s Club, Costco or Walmart where things go horribly wrong when customers who are waiting for the store to open for a special Thanksgiving Day sale. A stampede injures or kills several people, including a young baseball player who is at first thought to be the killer as well as a woman who – as it turns out – was having an affair with the local sheriff.

The following year, a killer wearing a pilgrim mask who goes by the persona of John Carver (yes, it’s a pun) starts taking out the people he considers responsible for the stampede the year prior. The victims include several teens who John Carver sees as the ones who started the stampede by sneaking into the store ahead of it officially opening, a security guard who ran away when the crowd started to turn into a riot and the woman who killed the sheriff’s lover by running over her with her shopping cart.

Other Thanksgiving characters that may return are Ryan (Manheim) and McCarty (Joe Delfin)

While the killer was first thought to be a baseball player who saw his career ended in the riot, John Carver ends up being the local sheriff who was driven mad by the death of the woman he loved. At the end of the film, it’s assumed that he’s killed by the teens who survive his attack, but the door is left open and that’s where Thanksgiving 2 could step up.

The Sequel Is Coming To The Holiday Season

While details about Thanksgiving 2 are still somewhat scarce, Roth has confirmed that filming will commence in the spring of 2025 and that a script has already been written. It’s expected that the movie will be a direct sequel and that means that Patrick Dempsey (the murdering sheriff) could return as the villain yet again. His charisma was the leader of the community and then his cold bloodedness when it came to killing his victims was a nice juxtaposition, especially since John Carver is not a silent killer audiences see in so many of these other Holiday horror movies.

Given Roth’s track record, audiences can expect a sequel that doubles down on the elements that made the original such a hit: inventive kills, dark humor, and a tongue-in-cheek approach to holiday traditions.

One of the most exciting aspects of this announcement is the potential expansion of the Thanksgiving universe. Seasonal horror franchises, such as Friday the 13th and Black Christmas, have proven that audiences love revisiting familiar settings and themes with each new installment. Roth’s sequel could introduce new characters, explore deeper lore, or even move the story to a different location while maintaining the holiday-themed carnage. Though at the moment, it seems as though this will be similar to Haddonfield, Illinois in the Halloween movies, where those townspeople are constantly plagued by murder and death.

The return of key cast members has yet to be confirmed, but fans are hopeful that the ensemble—which included standout performances from Dempsey and Addison Rae (and who was teased by Roth himself)—will reprise their roles. Should Rae return, it would make sense that Jessica (Nell Verlaque), Scuba (Gabriel Davenport), Bobby (Jalen Thomas Brooks), and Thomas (Rick Hoffman) would all come back as well. Of course, Rae could also be the only one who returns if the movie is set in a different town, maybe even college.

Seasonal Horror Getting More Popular All The Time

The success of Thanksgiving and the announcement of its sequel signal a broader trend in the horror genre: the resurgence of seasonal horror. For decades, films like Halloween and Friday the 13th have dominated the calendar with their holiday-themed scares. Now, Roth’s franchise aims to carve out its niche as the go-to slasher for the Thanksgiving season.

Seasonal horror offers a unique appeal. It taps into the collective cultural consciousness by reimagining familiar traditions and settings through a sinister lens. Thanksgiving, with its abundance of food, familial tension, and historical baggage, provides a rich backdrop for horror storytelling. Roth’s ability to exploit these elements while injecting his signature style ensures that his franchise will resonate with audiences for years to come.

Looking ahead, the success of Thanksgiving 2 could pave the way for additional entries in the series. A trilogy or even a long-running franchise could explore other aspects of the holiday, such as its historical roots or its modern-day consumerist overtones. Roth’s creative direction will be crucial in determining whether the Thanksgiving series can maintain its momentum and avoid the pitfalls that have plagued other horror franchises.