Some kids dream of becoming pirates.
Others fantasize about going to space.
As Roth recalls, “We grew up in Massachusetts, where the Pilgrims landed.
‘Thanksgiving’.TriStar Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection
Thanksgiving, as you’re free to imagine, is a massive deal there.
Every single holiday had a horror movie attached to itexceptThanksgiving.
So our dream was to make a slasher film around Thanksgiving.”
Patrick Dempsey in ‘Thanksgiving’.Pief Weyman/TriStar Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection
“Jeff and I had a bunch of ideas.”
says Roth, 51.
And, what about the person who gets baked and served on the table?"
‘Thanksgiving’.Pief Weyman/TriStar Pictures
Roth elaborates that the murderer is “wearing a mask of John Carver, the first governor of Plymouth.
When EW raises the latter matter, Roth responds, “It is quite a thrill.
He turns up the heat.”
Eli Roth.Pief Weyman/TriStar Pictures
Roth is having a little fun with us.
“Patrick Dempsey is quite the sexy dish,” says the director.
The idea of Dempsey or anyone else appearing in a feature version ofThanksgivingseemed unlikely for many years.
Roth recalls, “When Quentin said, ‘Do you want to do a fake trailer?’
I said, ‘Oh I got it:Thanksgiving.’
Jeff and I already had the kills ready.”
Roth shot the faux promo clip following the Europe shoot forHostel: Part II.
“We shot it in two days,” Roth says.
“We looked at the props we had and we had my fake head, Jay Hernandezs fake head.
And then for years the fans would re-post it every year going, why havent they made this?”
The fake trailer was a deliberately down-and-dirty affair.
Roth decided that this new iteration would be of a higher quality in terms of visual vibe and performances.
I just wanted to crack everyones brains open in a different direction than they normally would.”
Of course, the film also features grotesquerie aplenty.
Adrien and I care so much about each kill being a classic in the pantheon of great horror kills.
But, yeah, it is like riding a bike.
A bloody bike."
IfThanksgivingis a success Roth promises, or perhaps threatens, that this particular bike ride will continue.
“I think that weve been needing a movie like this.
So if the movie does well, Id love to continue it.”
Thanksgivingwill be released in theaters Nov. 17.
Watch the trailer above.
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