Best Thanksgiving Horror Movies: A Feast of Fear, Family, and Killer Turkeys

The turkey’s roasting, the family’s gathered, and tensions are simmering — which means it’s the perfect time for horror. Thanksgiving may not boast the deep bench of Halloween, but the films it does have carve straight into anxieties about family, faith, tradition, and unchecked indulgence. From slashers and satire to grindhouse insanity, these movies prove that gratitude and gore pair surprisingly well.

Here are the best Thanksgiving horror movies to serve up fear, just don’t lose your appetite.

Best Thanksgiving Horror Movies

Thanksgiving (2023)

Runtime: 106 minutes

Director: Eli Roth

Writers: Eli Roth, Jeff Rendell

Stars: Patrick Dempsey, Addison Rae, Milo Manheim

Eli Roth finally delivers on a promise horror fans waited more than 15 years to see fulfilled. What began as a fake trailer in Grindhouse becomes a full-course holiday slasher. After a deadly Black Friday riot devastates a Massachusetts town, a masked killer dressed as a Pilgrim begins exacting gruesome revenge one carving at a time.

Roth leans hard into old-school slasher brutality while layering in sharp satire about consumerism, entitlement, and holiday traditions gone feral. Patrick Dempsey grounds the madness with stoic charm as the town sheriff, while the kills are as mean-spirited as they are inventive.

Fun Fact: Roth teased this film for over 15 years after the Grindhouse trailer became a cult favorite.

Why Watch: If you love classic holiday slashers with modern bite and wicked humor, this one earns its seat at the table.

Thankskilling (2008)

Runtime: 66 minutes

Director: Jordan Downey

Writer: Jordan Downey

Stars: Wanda Lust, Sonja Magrini, Natasha Cordova

Low budget? Check. Killer turkey puppet? Check. Shameless insanity? Absolutely. Thankskilling is an aggressively stupid, proudly tasteless cult film about a foul-mouthed turkey resurrected by ancient curses who embarks on a murder spree.

It’s crude, cheap, and completely self-aware, packed with groan-worthy jokes and unforgettable one-liners (“You just got stuffed!”). This is not quality cinema — it’s midnight-movie nonsense that understands exactly what it is.

Fun Fact: The film was made for under $4,000 and later inspired Thankskilling 3 — skipping part two entirely.

Why Watch: Laugh, cringe, and embrace the absurd side of Thanksgiving horror.

The Oath (2018)

Runtime: 93 minutes

Director: Ike Barinholtz

Writer: Ike Barinholtz

Stars: Ike Barinholtz, Tiffany Haddish, John Cho

Set during Thanksgiving, The Oath turns political division into domestic dread. Barinholtz stars as a liberal husband facing a family gathering as a looming government loyalty pledge deadline pushes everyone to the brink. What starts as sharp satire slowly mutates into something far more unsettling.

Tiffany Haddish delivers a surprisingly grounded performance, balancing humor with emotional realism as the couple’s relationship fractures under pressure. The horror here isn’t monsters — it’s how quickly civility collapses when ideology replaces empathy.

Fun Fact: The film was inspired by real holiday arguments Barinholtz had with relatives during election seasons.

Why Watch: If your family drama is mercifully low this year, this one hits uncomfortably close to home.

Blood Freak (1972)

Runtime: 88 minutes

Director: Steve Hawkes, Brad F. Grinter

Writers: Steve Hawkes, Brad F. Grinter

Stars: Steve Hawkes, Dana Cullivan

This 1970s exploitation oddity defies belief. A biker eats drug-laced turkey meat, experiences a religious awakening, and transforms into a bloodthirsty turkey-headed monster. Yes — really.

Blood Freak blends anti-drug propaganda, evangelical fearmongering, grindhouse gore, and sheer lunacy into one unforgettable experience. It’s messy, morally confused, and completely unique — the kind of movie that feels like a fever dream you can’t shake.

Fun Fact: Steve Hawkes self-financed the film after surviving severe burns in a fire, making this a true grindhouse survival story.

Why Watch: A must-see for fans of bizarre ’70s exploitation that’s so bad it becomes legendary.

Séance (2006)

Runtime: 88 minutes

Director: John Terlesky

Writer: Mark L. Smith

Stars: Edward Furlong, Amber Benson, Devon Sawa

A group of college students attempts to contact a murdered classmate during Thanksgiving break and instead unleashes something far worse. Séance turns dorm rooms and empty hallways into spaces of creeping dread, blending early-2000s supernatural horror with guilt-ridden paranoia.

Mark L. Smith (who would later write The Revenant and Overlord) shows early promise with eerie atmosphere and effective jump scares. Edward Furlong and Bai Ling add nostalgic genre appeal.

Fun Fact: This was one of Smith’s earliest horror projects before his Oscar-winning screenwriting success.

Why Watch: A solid supernatural entry for those who like their Thanksgiving horror ghost-ridden and grim.

Honorable Mention: Grandma Werewolf (2020)

Runtime: 72 minutes

Director: Aimee Kuge

Writer: Aimee Kuge

Stars: Shannon Stockin, Erica Vetter

I always worried my grandmother might come back from the grave. When she died, the lights flickered, things fell off the walls, and given her Eastern European roots, her return as some supernatural creature felt inevitable.

Grandma Werewolf is not that, but it is about a grandma who’s a werewolf. Featuring terrible, charmingly cheesy dialogue and a merciful 72-minute runtime, this micro-budget oddity is pure DIY fun. It’s available for free on YouTube, which honestly feels exactly right.

Fun Fact: At the end of the credits, Officer Carl and Detective Jared show a short commercial for their new Monster Hunting service!

Why Watch: Short, silly, and surprisingly entertaining, perfect background horror for post-dinner digestion.

Final Serving

From slasher Pilgrims to killer turkeys and haunted family gatherings, Thanksgiving horror delivers a strange but satisfying mix of humor, blood, and satire. These films remind us that the absolute terror isn’t always lurking in the shadows; sometimes it’s sitting across the dinner table. So pour the gravy, slice the pie, and dim the lights. Your Thanksgiving feast of fear awaits.