With low budgets, it is no surprise when a horror movie hit gets a sequel greenlit so quickly. Eli Roth has confirmed on Instagram that Thanksgiving 2 is a go after receiving the green light from Sony Pictures (seen below). John Carver, the costume used by the film’s killer, will strike again once a script, which the director is working on, is complete.
It started as a fake film for the Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino collaboration of Grindhouse in 2007. After becoming a real movie, it was a quick hit to earn this green light. The sequel will carve its way into theaters in 2025.
Eli Roth Welcomes More John Carver Killings as Thanksgiving 2 Is in the Works
In the message confirming the sequel, the horror filmmaker thanked fans for checking it out. Those who flocked to eat up blood-soaked turkey scored the movie an opening of $12.6 million worldwide. It currently has grossed approximately $30 million worldwide. It is in good standing from its $15 million budget.
The film follows a group of teenagers who are among a group of targets that include other people in their town of a masked killer. It delivered brutal kills, an eclectic group of characters, and satirical commentary on the savagery of Black Friday shopping. It is uncertain how this will evolve or who will return for Thanksgiving 2 once Eli Roth finishes the script. No stars are confirmed to return as the film featured Rick Hoffman (Suits), Patrick Dempsey (Grey’s Anatomy), Grabriel Davenport (Hotel for the Holidays), and Nell Verlaque (Big Shot).
While Eli Roth has had a big name in horror, Thanksgiving is his first film to be well-received among the majority of critics and audiences. The film holds an 83% on Rotten Tomatoes for its critic score and 79% on the audience side. In our review, we gave it an 8.5. In the review, we praised the film for its “unique gruesome kills,” visuals and sound mixing, and its “campy comedy” that brought back some similarities to ’90s slashers like the first Scream. It all held up a mostly “predictable slasher” narrative, with some performances that were not as strong as others.
