Top 20 Thanksgiving Horror Movies: A Feast of Fear

Welcome, horror fans, to the gruesome feast of fear that is our list of the Top 20 Thanksgiving Horror Movies. If you’re looking for a little gore to spice up your Thanksgiving holiday, than this list is for you!

Whether you’re in the mood for dark comedy or straight up slasher thrills, these films will make your Thanksgiving celebration one to remember.

These 20 films are the perfect ingredients for a gruesome Thanksgiving movie marathon.

Get ready to serve up heaping portions of fear and suspense.

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20 Thanksgiving Horror Movies

1. Blood Rage (1987)

• Director: John Grissmer 
• Cast: Louise Lasser, Mark Soper, and Marianne Kanter 
• Genre: Slasher, Horror 
• Rating: R
• IMDb: IMDb

“Blood Rage” is a classic slasher that’s like the cranberry sauce of Thanksgiving horror. “Blood Rage” is campy, cheesy, and loaded with blood soaked mayhem. Plus, it’ll make you question your Thanksgiving leftovers like never before.

2. Eli Roth’s Thanksgiving (2007) (short)

• Director: Eli Roth 
• Cast: Jordan Ladd, Jay Hernandez, and Cerina Vincent 
• Genre: Slasher, Horror, Comedy 
• Rating: R

Eli Roth, the master of blood and guts, knows how to serve up a Thanksgiving horror treat. “Eli Roth’s Thanksgiving short film (not a full meal) is a gory tribute to classic slashers. It’s over the top gruesome and a perfect appetizer for your horror holiday binge.

3. Thanksgiving (2023)

• Director: Eli Roth 
• Cast: Rick Hoffman, Gina Gershon, Patrick Dempsey 
• Genre: Slasher, Horror
• Rating: R
• IMDb: IMDb

Following a tragic Black Friday riot, the birthplace of Thanksgiving, Plymouth, Massachusetts, is plunged into terror as a mysterious killer with Thanksgiving inspired motives begins to haunt the town.

4. ThanksKilling (2009)

• Director: Jordan Downey 
• Cast: Wanda Lust, Natasha Cordova, Lindsey Anderson
• Genre: Slasher, Comedy, Horror 
• Rating: Not Rated
• IMDb: IMDb

If you’re looking for a Thanksgiving themed laugh riot with a side of gore, “ThanksKilling” has you covered. It’s got a killer turkey, ridiculous one liners, and more absurdity than you can shake a turkey leg at. Watch it with your friends, and you’ll be doubled over with laughter.

5. ThanksKilling 3 (2012)

• Director: Jordan Downey
• Cast: Daniel Usaj, Joe Hartzler, Preston Altree
• Genre: Comedy, Horror, Bizarro 
• Rating: Not Rated
• IMDB: IMDb

“ThanksKilling 3” doubles down on the absurdity, turkey puppets, and sheer craziness. It’s a hot mess in the best way possible, and you won’t want to miss the chaos.

6. Kristy (2014)

• Director: Oliver Blackburn 
• Cast: Haley Bennett, Ashley Greene, Lucas Till 
• Genre: Thriller, Slasher 
• Rating: PG-13
• IMDB: IMDb

It’s the tale of a college student named Justine (played by Haley Bennett) who’s staying on campus during Thanksgiving break. But instead of peace and quiet, she faces off against a group of masked assailants.

7. Into the Dark: Pilgrim (2019)

• Director: Marcus Dunstan 
• Cast: Kerr Smith, Peter Giles, Courtney Henggeler 
• Genre: Anthology, Horror, Holiday 
• Rating: TV-MA
• IMDB: IMDb

This is an anthology series from Hulu, where each episode covers a different holiday. In the episode “Pilgrim,” things get weird when a family invites some reenactors for a historical Thanksgiving reenactment. But this isn’t your typical history lesson; it’s a nightmare of epic proportions.

8. Boogeyman 2 (2007)

• Director: Jeff Betancourt 
• Cast: Danielle Savre, Matt Cohen, Michael Graziadei 
• Genre: Horror, Thriller 
• Rating: R
• IMDB: IMDb

“Boogeyman 2 is a screamfest you won’t want to miss. When therapy patients get together, the terrors of their past come back to haunt them.

9. Home Sweet Home (1981)

• Director: Nettie Peña 
• Cast: Jake Steinfeld, Vinessa Shaw, Peter De Paula 
• Genre: Thriller, Horror 
• Rating: TV-PG
• IMDb: IMDb

In this movie, your cozy Thanksgiving dinner transforms into a chilling nightmare. An escaped mental patient hijacks a station wagon and sets his sights on the Bradleys’ Thanksgiving gathering, where he intends to give them a lot more to worry about than being thankful.

10. Blood Freak (1972)

• Director: Brad F. Grinter, Steve Hawkes 
• Cast: Steve Hawkes, Dana Cullivan 
• Genre: Horror, Exploitation 
• Rating: R
• IMDb: IMDb

“Blood Freak” serves up a bizarre and bloody concoction of horror and exploitation. When a man volunteers for a dangerous drug experiment, he ends up turning into a monstrous turkey creature. It’s a wild and wacky ride that will leave you scratching your head.

11. ThanXgiving (2006)

• Director: Bobby Ray Akers Jr.
• Cast: Ari Lehman, Suki Peters, Jaxon Stanford
• Genre: Horror
• Rating: Not Rated
• IMDb: IMDb

Hidden within the woods surrounding Traunton Riverbend Campground lie numerous enigmatic secrets. Abandoned campsites and rusted cars bear witness to those who ventured into the campground’s depths but never emerged. Specter (Marshall White) persuades his friend Alexis (Suki Peters) to join him in collaborating with Dean (Jaxon Stanford) and his film crew on the set of their latest horror project.

12. Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead (2006)

• Director: Lloyd Kaufman 
• Cast: Jason Yachanin, Kate Graham, Lloyd Kaufman 
• Genre: Comedy, Musical, Horror 
• Rating: Not Rated
• IMDb: IMDb

“Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead” is the definition of absurdity. Fast food meets ancient Indian burial grounds, and the result is a feathered fiesta of gore, songs, and pure wackiness. Don’t miss this unforgettable Thanksgiving romp filled with killer chickens and catchy tunes.

13. Black Friday (2021)

• Director: Casey Tebo 
• Cast: Bruce Campbell, Devon Sawa, Michael Jai White 
• Genre: Horror, Comedy 
• Rating: R
• IMDb: IMDb

“Black Friday” is your ticket to a shopping spree you’ll never forget. When a retail store’s Black Friday sale turns into a battle against alien parasites, you can expect a wild and darkly humorous ride. It’s Black Friday shopping like you’ve never seen before!

14. Derelicts (2017)

• Director: Brett Glassberg 
• Cast: Dalton Allen, Justin B. Allen, Marie R. Sherman 
• Genre: Horror, Mystery 
• Rating: Not Rated
• IMDb: IMDb

“Derelicts” takes you on a Thanksgiving weekend getaway gone terribly wrong. Its about a group of friends who stumble upon a sinister secret in a remote cabin. Suspense and strange occurrences await.

15. The Last Thanksgiving (2020)

• Director: Erick Lorinc
• Cast: Amanda Arrants, Jake Balser, Annie Collins
• Genre: Horror, Comedy 
• Rating: Not Rated
• IMDb: IMDb

And here we are, at the ultimate Thanksgiving feast of horror. “The Last Thanksgiving” is a blood soaked, darkly comedic take on the holiday. When the secret ingredients of the holiday meal are revealed, it’s not just the turkey that’s in hot water. Prepare for a gore filled Thanksgiving like no other.

16. The McPherson Tape (AKA Alien Abduction Incident in Lake County) (1998)

• Director: Dean Alioto 
• Cast: Benz Antoine, Kristian Ayre, Gillian Barber 
• Genre: Found Footage, Sci-Fi, Horror 
• Rating: TV-14
• IMDb: IMDb

“Alien Abduction Incident in Lake County” is a found footage gem where a family’s Thanksgiving dinner becomes the setting for a series of disturbing and unexplained occurrences. This one will leave you questioning the idea of extraterrestrial visitors during the holiday season.

17. Harvest of Fear (2004)

• Director: Brad Goodman 
• Cast: Don Knodel, Tony Tost 
• Genre: Thriller, Horror 
• Rating: Not Rated
• IMDb: IMDb

This rural horror thriller takes a group of friends on a hunting trip they won’t soon forget. When the tables turn, and they become the hunted, the Thanksgiving turkey isn’t the only thing on the menu.

18. The Town That Dreaded Sundown (1976)

• Director: Charles B. Pierce 
• Cast: Ben Johnson, Andrew Prine, Dawn Wells 
• Genre: Horror, Mystery 
• Rating: R
• IMDb: IMDb

“The Town That Dreaded Sundown” is a true classic in the horror genre. It’s based on real events and unsolved murders in Texarkana. As a masked killer terrorizes the small town, it creates an atmosphere of fear and dread that lingers over Thanksgiving. A suspenseful and eerie masterpiece that will keep you guessing until the end.

19. Séance (2006)

• Director: Mark L. Smith 
• Cast: Bobby Campo, Nazneen Contractor, Chris Olivero 
• Genre: Horror, Thriller 
• Rating: R
• IMDb: IMDb

“Seance” takes a unique approach to Thanksgiving horror. It starts with a college student trying to connect with the other side during a Thanksgiving séance. What could possibly go wrong, right? Well, things quickly spiral out of control as supernatural forces are unleashed.

20. Intensity (1997)

• Director: Yves Simoneau 
• Cast: Molly Parker, John C. McGinley 
• Genre: Thriller, Horror 
• Rating: R
• IMDb: IMDb

Chyna Shepherd, played by Molly Parker, decides to spend Thanksgiving at her friend’s family’s place in the rural Pacific Northwest, but this holiday gathering takes a nightmarish turn. Chyna stumbles into the clutches of a seriously disturbed serial killer, portrayed by John C. McGinley. It’s a relentless cat and mouse game as she tries to escape the clutches of this psycho.

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Thanks for reading this article for Thanksgiving horror movie inspiration!

If you love horror, than checkout our other articles on horror movies!

If you like FREE horror movies, than checkout our article 25 Free Horror Movies to Stream on Tubi: Horror Fan Favorites.

For Christmas horror movies, read our article 28 Best Christmas Horror Movies: Festive Holiday Frights.

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