Thanksgiving 2 Gets Exciting Filming, Script & Returning Characters Updates From Eli Roth 1 Year After 84% RT Success

Thanksgiving 2 has gotten some exciting updates from director Eli Roth, one year after the original slasher’s release. Set in Plymouth, Massachusetts, the first movie portrays a gruesome spree of murders, some holiday-inspired, committed by a vengeful John Carver-costumed killer. Thanksgiving stars Patrick Dempsey as town sheriff Eric Newlon, along with Nell Verlaque, Jalen Thomas Brooks, Addison Rae, Gabriel Davenport, Milo Manheim, Karen Cliche, and Rick Hoffman. Praised by audiences, the film currently holds a score of 84% on Rotten Tomatoes, and a sequel, scheduled to premiere in 2025, was previously confirmed by Roth.

During an interview with IndieWire, Roth provided some major updates regarding Thanksgiving 2, including that various actors from the original will reappear. It was also revealed that filming will take place in March and that a script has been finished. When discussing the approach, Roth explained that the upcoming sequel will not cost a lot or involve as much background. Read his comments below:

We’re upping the ante but we are not going to do it with more money. That keeps it tight and lean and mean and forces us to make decisions. There’s a lot of setting up that we did in the first one that we don’t have to deal with now. It can just be all pay-off.

The director added that Thanksgiving 2 will feature another chase scene, described as “ no bulls–t ,” similar to Kathleen’s pre-death sequence, along with some murders and other details that may be tough to film, but revealed that he is eager to work on them. Read more of Roth’s comments below:

I’ve come up with stuff that is going to be a
challenge
. And I want it to be a challenge to pull off. Because if I’ve come up with the stuff that I think will make the best kills, then I’m going to do it like I’m never going to make another movie again.

What These Updates Mean For Thanksgiving 2

It Will Be A Bloody Continuation Of The Original

These latest updates indicate that Thanksgiving 2 will be more of a direct sequel, focusing on the aftermath of John Carver’s murders and another pursuit, instead of identifying everyone responsible for that fatal Black Friday incident. Along with Gaby (Rae), whose return was teased by Roth, audiences can likely expect Jessica (Verlaque), Scuba (Davenport), Bobby (Brooks), and Thomas (Hoffman) to appear in the movie, having survived the killer, revealed to be Newlon. The end of Thanksgiving also suggests that Dempsey’s character may not be dead, but after being exposed, his whereabouts remain unclear.

Considering what Roth accomplished with the 2023 film, maintaining a small budget is possible, and his recent comments point to even more unique, and possibly festive, deaths in Thanksgiving 2. The gore, which included stabbing corn on the cob holders in Yulia’s (Jenna Warren) ears and nearly freezing, then bisecting Lizzie (Amanda Barker) with a dumpster, was a huge part of the original Thanksgiving. However, Kathleen’s (Cliche) death was arguably the most memorable moment, and potentially outdoing that through another chase scene, should create excitement.

Our Thoughts On The Thanksgiving 2 Updates

Roth Can Deliver Another Successful Holiday Slasher

Making a Thanksgiving sequel that features returning characters could mean increased stakes, especially if Newlon emerges with nothing to lose and/or has someone helping him, as some audiences predict. Because the movie was well-received, and made over $46 million at the box office, eventually drawing viewers on Netflix as well, a follow-up seems primed for success. If Roth progresses the story and creates more standout kills, Thanksgiving 2 might be a bigger hit than its predecessor.

Source: IndieWire