Thanksgiving
Theatrical release poster
Directed byEli Roth
Screenplay byJeff Rendell
Story by
  • Eli Roth
  • Jeff Rendell
Based on
Thanksgiving
by
  • Eli Roth
  • Jeff Rendell
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyMilan Chadima
Edited by
  • Michele Conroy
  • Michel Aller
Music byBrandon Roberts
Production
companies
Distributed byTriStar Pictures
(through Sony Pictures Releasing)
Release date
  • November 17, 2023 (2023-11-17)
Running time
106 minutes[1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$15 million[2]
Box office$45.9 million[3][4]

Thanksgiving (also known as Bloody Thanksgiving in some markets)[5] is a 2023 American slasher film directed by Eli Roth and written by Jeff Rendell, based on a story by the pair, who produced with Roger Birnbaum. Based on Roth's fictitious trailer of the same name from Grindhouse (2007), it is the third feature-length adaptation of a fictitious Grindhouse trailer after Robert Rodriguez's Machete (2010) and Jason Eisener's Hobo with a Shotgun (2011). The film stars Patrick Dempsey, Addison Rae, Milo Manheim, Jalen Thomas Brooks, Nell Verlaque, Rick Hoffman, and Gina Gershon, and follows a small Massachusetts town that is terrorized by a killer in a John Carver mask around the Thanksgiving holiday.

Thanksgiving received a theatrical release in the United States by TriStar Pictures on November 17, 2023. The film received generally positive reviews from critics and has grossed $45.9 million worldwide. A sequel is in development.

Plot

During Thanksgiving in Plymouth, Massachusetts, people are gathering outside the local RightMart superstore in preparation for a Black Friday sale. Jessica Wright, whose father Thomas owns the store, lets her boyfriend Bobby and her friends Evan, Gabby, Scuba, and Yulia inside the store early through a side door. The crowd outside sees them and, in a frenzy, stampedes into the store, resulting in multiple people dying, including Amanda Collins, the wife of store manager Mitch. Bobby gets his arm broken when he tries to rescue someone and subsequently disappears from the group.

One year later, RightMart is preparing for another Black Friday sale, despite the protests of Mitch and several other residents. Meanwhile, Jessica and her friends are tagged in a social media post of a Thanksgiving table with their names around it. Bobby, who has broken up with Jessica, returns to Plymouth to work for his uncle after being injured in the riot, much to the chagrin of Jessica's current boyfriend Ryan. A waitress named Lizzie is attacked and killed by a figure dressed in black clothing wearing a John Carver mask. The police discover that Lizzie was present at the Black Friday incident, which leads them to believe those involved in the massacre are being targeted by Carver.

Jessica aids the investigation by providing footage of the riot to the town's sheriff, Eric Newlon. Carver rampages through Plymouth and kills several residents, including RightMart security guard Manny and high school students Amy and Lonnie. Evan and Gabby are soon abducted by Carver, while Jessica narrowly avoids being killed. Yulia's father decides to move their family to Florida, but he and the deputy sheriff guarding them are killed by Carver, who attacks Yulia. Jessica and Scuba drive to Yulia's house, but are unable to stop Carver from disemboweling Yulia with a buzzsaw before he escapes.

The police attempt to lure Carver out by having the Wright family and Scuba participate in a Thanksgiving parade, disguised as Pilgrims. However, Carver deduces their plan and decapitates a turkey mascot before sending smoke bombs into the crowd, causing everyone to scatter in panic and giving Carver the opportunity to abduct the Wrights and Scuba in the chaos. Carver then cooks Jessica's stepmother Kathleen alive in an oven before serving her as the "turkey" at a dinner table surrounded by his hostages and his victims' corpses. Carver then bludgeons Evan to death in a livestream before Jessica cuts through her bindings and escapes, luring him away from the others. She eludes Carver by climbing over a fence and running through the woods. Jessica makes it to a parade warehouse, and finds Newlon unconscious. When she follows a figure wearing Carver's mask inside, she sees it is Bobby. She calls Newlon to help capture Bobby, but he escapes.

The police soon arrive and inform them that the survivors are safe. Once they leave Jessica and Newlon alone, Jessica notices the same bramble debris from the fence and the deep woods that stuck to her are also on Newlon's clothing and sneakers, realizing he is the killer. Newlon reveals that he was having an affair with Amanda, who was pregnant with his child before she died. This was his motive to become Carver and seek revenge on those responsible. To Newlon's horror, it is revealed that Jessica has livestreamed his confession, leading him to attack her until she is saved by Bobby.

As they attempt to escape in a tow truck belonging to Bobby's uncle, Newlon hooks it to a support beam and approaches them with an axe. Jessica uses a musket to shoot a turkey parade balloon that was attached to a tank of flammable gas, causing an explosion that engulfs Newlon in flames. The following morning, Bobby is taken away in an ambulance and Jessica reunites with Ryan, Gabby, and Scuba. The authorities are unable to find Newlon's remains, leading them to believe he was incinerated in the explosion. However, Jessica continues to have nightmares of a flaming Newlon attacking her.

Cast

Additionally, Jordan Poole plays Jacob, Mika Amonsen plays Lonnie, Shailyn Griffin plays Amy, Amanda Barker plays Lizzie, Chris Sandiford plays Doug, and Lynne Griffin plays Grandma. Adam MacDonald provides the voice of John Carver.

Production

Development

After director Eli Roth created the fake movie trailer, Thanksgiving, for the film Grindhouse (2007), plans for a feature-length adaptation began.[6] In 2010, Roth told CinemaBlend that he was writing the script with Jeff Rendell and that he hoped to complete it once he was done with press for The Last Exorcism (2010).[7] By August 2012, Jon Watts and Christopher D. Ford were set to write the screenplay with Roth and Rendell after they finished writing the Roth-produced Clown (2014).[8] In June 2016, Roth revealed on Reddit that the script still needed work in order for the film to live up to the trailer.[9] In February 2019, reports indicated that Roth was slated to direct an undisclosed horror film for Miramax the next month in Boston, Massachusetts. Bloody Disgusting speculated that the film could potentially be Thanksgiving but was unable to verify.[10]

In January 2023, Deadline Hollywood reported that Spyglass Media Group was producing the film. Roth would depart from Borderlands (2024), passing additional photography off to Tim Miller, in order to direct the film.[11]

Casting

In February 2023, Patrick Dempsey and Addison Rae were the first cast members announced for the film.[12][13] Also cast were Jalen Thomas Brooks, Nell Verlaque, and Milo Manheim.[14][15] In March 2023, Rick Hoffman, Gina Gershon, Tim Dillon, Gabriel Davenport, Tomaso Sanelli, and Jenna Warren joined the cast.[16]

Filming

Principal photography took place in Toronto and Hamilton, Ontario, from March 13 to May 5, 2023.[17][18]

Release

Thanksgiving was released in the United States by TriStar Pictures on November 17, 2023.[19][20]

The film was released on digital platforms on December 19, 2023, followed by a Blu-ray and DVD release on January 30, 2024.[21]

Reception

Box office

As of December 23, 2023, Thanksgiving has grossed $31.8 million in the United States and Canada, and $14.1 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $45.9 million.[3]

In the United States and Canada, Thanksgiving was released alongside Next Goal Wins, Trolls Band Together, and The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, and was projected to gross $12–15 million from 3,204 theaters in its opening weekend.[22][2] The film made $3.8 million on its first day, including $1 million from Thursday night previews. It went on to debut to $10.4 million, finishing fourth at the box office.[23] The film made $7.2 million in its second weekend (a drop of 31%), finishing in fifth.[24] It then made $2.6 million in its third weekend.[25]

Critical response

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 83% of 144 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.8/10. The website's consensus reads: "Combining belly-busting humor with delightfully over-the-top gore, Thanksgiving is a feast for grindhouse fans."[26] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 63 out of 100, based on 34 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[27] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B−" on an A+ to F scale, while those polled by PostTrak gave it a 73% overall positive score.[23]

Owen Gleiberman of Variety wrote "Thanksgiving follows the rules of the slasher genre, but it's got a more charged and entertainingly hyperbolic atmosphere than these movies used to have".[28] Frank Scheck ended his positive review saying, "There are times you can feel Thanksgiving straining too mightily for a cult status it's not likely to achieve. But it seems a safe bet the film will be trotted out like a turkey on cable channels and streaming services for many Thanksgivings to come".[29] The San Francisco Chronicle's G. Allen Johnson gave the film a score of one out of four and wrote, "Thanksgiving could have been a great horror movie. Instead, it's one of those where if you've seen the trailer, you've seen the film".[30]

Sequel

In November 2023, Roth announced on his Instagram page that a sequel had been greenlit for a 2025 release.[31]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Thanksgiving (18)". BBFC. October 27, 2023. Archived from the original on October 27, 2023. Retrieved October 27, 2023.
  2. 1 2 Rubin, Rebecca (November 15, 2023). "Box Office: 'Hunger Games' Prequel 'Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes' Targets $50 Million Debut". Variety. Archived from the original on November 16, 2023. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  3. 1 2 "Thanksgiving". The Numbers. Archived from the original on November 26, 2023. Retrieved December 24, 2023.
  4. ↑ "Thanksgiving (2023)". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved December 24, 2023.
  5. ↑ Cyril, Grace (October 5, 2023). "Bloody Thanksgiving trailer: Eli Roth's film promises a blood-soaked, scary holiday". India Today. Retrieved December 19, 2023.
  6. ↑ Wortham, Jenna (November 19, 2007). "Director Eli Roth Serves up a Side of Faux Film Schwag for Thanksgiving". Wired. Archived from the original on February 23, 2023. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
  7. ↑ Eisenberg, Eric (August 24, 2010). "Eli Roth Confirms He's Working On A Thanksgiving Movie". CinemaBlend. Archived from the original on November 21, 2019. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
  8. ↑ Bettinger, Brendan (August 23, 2012). "Eli Roth Promises Thanksgiving Is "Gonna Happen" with Writers Jon Watts and Christopher D. Ford". Collider. Archived from the original on February 23, 2023. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
  9. ↑ Cavanaugh, Patrick (February 13, 2019). "Could Eli Roth Finally Be Making His Thanksgiving Feature Film?". ComicBook.com. Archived from the original on February 23, 2023. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
  10. ↑ Squires, John (February 12, 2019). "So Eli Roth is Getting Set to Film a New Horror Movie for Miramax…". Bloody Disgusting. Archived from the original on February 23, 2023. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
  11. ↑ Fleming, Mike Jr. (January 7, 2023). "Tim Miller Steps In For Eli Roth To Handle 'Borderlands' Reshoot As Roth Cooks Up Feature Version Of 'Grindhouse' Trailer 'Thanksgiving'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on January 8, 2023. Retrieved January 7, 2023.
  12. ↑ Kit, Borys (February 17, 2023). "Patrick Dempsey in Talks to Star in Eli Roth's Thanksgiving Horror Thriller". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on February 23, 2023. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
  13. ↑ Kroll, Justin (February 23, 2023). "Addison Rae Lands Lead Role In Eli Roth's 'Thanksgiving' For Spyglass Media". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on March 7, 2023. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
  14. ↑ Kit, Borys (February 24, 2023). "Eli Roth's Horror Thriller 'Thanksgiving' Finds Its Stars in Jalen Thomas Brooks, Nell Verlaque (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on February 25, 2023. Retrieved February 25, 2023.
  15. ↑ Kit, Borys (March 3, 2023). "'Zombies' Star Milo Manheim Joins Eli Roth Horror Thriller Thanksgiving (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on March 3, 2023. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
  16. ↑ Kroll, Justin (March 16, 2023). "Gina Gershon, Rick Hoffman And Tim Dillon Round Out Cast Of Eli Roth's Thanksgiving At TriStar And Spyglass". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on March 17, 2023. Retrieved March 16, 2023.
  17. ↑ Lovett-squires, Julia (March 16, 2023). "What's Going On Here? Movie featuring Patrick Dempsey filming in Waterdown". The Hamilton Spectator. Archived from the original on April 11, 2023. Retrieved April 11, 2023.
  18. ↑ "Current Production and News". Toronto Film Commission. May 5, 2023. Archived from the original on May 6, 2023. Retrieved May 5, 2023.
  19. ↑ Kroll, Justin (March 9, 2023). "TriStar Pictures Lands Spyglass Media Group's Thanksgiving, Inspired By Eli Roth's Legendary Grindhouse Fake Trailer". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on March 9, 2023. Retrieved March 9, 2023.
  20. ↑ McCall, Kevin (April 3, 2023). "Eli Roth's 'Thanksgiving' Horror Movie Sets Holiday Release Date". Collider. Archived from the original on April 4, 2023. Retrieved April 4, 2023.
  21. ↑ Squires, John (December 21, 2023). "Eli Roth's Thanksgiving Slashes Onto DVD and Blu-ray in January 2024". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
  22. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (November 15, 2023). "'Hunger Games: Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakes' Looks To Sing $100M+ Worldwide Opening – Preview". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  23. 1 2 D'Alessandro, Anthony (November 19, 2023). "'The Hunger Games: Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakes' Chirps $44M Opening: Enough To Reignite Franchise?; 'Marvels' Suffers Worst MCU 2nd Weekend Drop – Sunday Box Office Update". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on November 19, 2023. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
  24. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (November 26, 2023). "'Songbirds & Snakes' Reigns Supreme Over Thanksgiving Stretch With $42M 5-day; 'Napoleon' Steps On Disney's 'Wish' With $32M+ — Box Office". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on November 26, 2023. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
  25. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (December 3, 2023). "'Renaissance: A Film By Beyoncé' $22M Opening Irreplaceable For Sleepy Early December Weekend; Fuels $95M+ Frame Best Post 2018 – Update". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
  26. ↑ "Thanksgiving". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  27. ↑ "Thanksgiving". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved November 23, 2023.
  28. ↑ Gleiberman, Owen (November 15, 2023). "Thanksgiving Review: Eli Roth Turns His Slasher-Movie Trailer From Grindhouse Into a Real Slasher Movie, and It's Mostly Slashing Good Fun". Variety. Archived from the original on November 15, 2023. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  29. ↑ Scheck, Frank (November 15, 2023). "Thanksgiving Review: Patrick Dempsey in an Eli Roth Flick That Offers Just Enough Cheap Kills". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on November 15, 2023. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  30. ↑ Allen Johnson, G. (November 15, 2023). "Review: Horror film Thanksgiving is a real turkey". San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from the original on November 15, 2023. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  31. ↑ Rubin, Rebecca (November 30, 2023). "Thanksgiving Sequel in the Works With Director Eli Roth". Variety. Retrieved November 30, 2023.
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