Thanksgiving Director Eli Roth Teases the Other Holiday That Deserves a Slasher

The horror genre has seen a number of films explore frightening events connected to Halloween, while there are also a significant number of movies that take place around Christmas, though this year saw Eli Roth deliver us a rare experience centered around another holiday with Thanksgiving. The filmmaker recently noted that, having now explored an unsettling experience set in November, he'd like to see Easter get more representation in the horror realm with an adventure set around the event. While Roth didn't say he would be the one to deliver such an adventure, it seems more like he merely supports the idea as opposed to having a concept already crafted.

"Well, I had such a great time with Thanksgiving, it's hard to think of another one, but I do feel like there's a great killer Easter bunny movie out there," Roth revealed to CinePOP when talking about exploring other holidays in horror.

One of the most iconic horror movies of all time, and one that takes place on a holiday, is John Carpenter's 1978 Halloween. The success of the film saw other filmmakers aim to capitalize on giving a clever title to a slasher that connects to a holiday, resulting in projects like Friday the 13th and My Bloody Valentine. Funnily enough, while Halloween is known for igniting the trend not only of holiday-themed horror but also the entire slasher subgenre, Bob Clark's Black Christmas both served as a seminal slasher and as horror that centered around the holidays, which came out four years before Halloween.

This isn't to say that there aren't any horror movies that center around Easter, as movies like Critters 2 and Holidays both find ways to pay respects to the tradition, but none have found mainstream success like films set during Halloween or Christmas. In addition to Roth's Thanksgiving paying off a fake trailer he made back in 2007 for Grindhouse, his slasher has also cemented itself as a significant experience that ties directly into the holiday and is sure to become an annual watch for horror fans. Up until this year, horror fans had to settle for fare like Blood Rage, Home Sweet Home, or two Thankskilling movies when it came to seasonal scares.

Roth's Thanksgiving was such a success that a sequel has already been announced, which is expected to be released in the fall of 2025.

Would you like to see an Easter-themed horror movie? Let us know in the comments or contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter to talk all things Star Wars and horror!