Eli Roth Talks Sequel to 2023 Slasher Horror Hit: “I’ll Make It Work”

Eli Roth, the director of the horror film Thanksgiving, has explained the reasons behind the delay in making a sequel. He announced plans for a follow-up shortly after the first movie came out, initially hoping to release it in 2025. However, that timeframe has passed, and Roth has now shared why it’s taken so long to get the project started while he’s been working on other films.

Released in 2023, Thanksgiving was a project years in the making. It originated as a fake trailer included in Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez’s Grindhouse back in 2007. While intended as a joke, the trailer—showing a chaotic parade—generated excitement for a real movie.

Thanksgiving was a success, earning over $46 million at the box office despite costing only $15 million to make. Critics also liked the film, giving it a ‘Certified Fresh’ rating of 83% on Rotten Tomatoes – making it director Eli Roth’s best-reviewed movie on the site.

The movie’s ending strongly hinted at a sequel, likely involving the villain returning in a surprising way, or a new person taking their place. While details are still under wraps, director Eli Roth hasn’t shared any information about Thanksgiving 2 yet.

The Valid Reason Behind the Delay of ‘Thanksgiving 2’


Sony Pictures Entertainment

Eli Roth recently spoke with Screen Rant about the new 4K release of Cabin Fever and explained why the sequel, Thanksgiving 2, is taking so long. He says the main issue is that the actors are all busy with other work. However, Roth has a plan if he can’t get everyone together at once.

We were incredibly fortunate to have such a talented cast. They’re all experiencing huge success right now – Jalen was in ‘The Pitt,’ Nell Verlaque is working with Kevin Kline and Laura Linney, Addison is touring the world with hit albums and receiving award nominations, and Milo Manheim just landed a role in ‘Tangled.’ It’s fantastic to see everyone like Jenna and Gabriel so busy and thriving, but their success is starting to make scheduling things a little tricky.

I’m planning to get everything prepared and finalized, and then figure out when everyone is available to participate. I’ve already tentatively booked three days for filming, which is great. It’ll require some juggling to make it work, and it won’t be as easy as having everyone together for the whole shoot like last time, but everyone really enjoys it. The good news is the film has already been re-released in theaters twice for Thanksgiving, which is amazing.

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2026-01-25 15:35