Thanksgiving horror is a tiny corner of the genre - a little dusty, a little greasy, and full of movies that make you question the life choices that led you here. But if you’re the kind of person who wants something more deranged than football and family drama, there’s a surprisingly fun batch of films waiting for you. Some are legit good. Others… well, they’re memorable.

Here are some of the best (and best-worst) Thanksgiving horror movies you can throw on when you want the holiday to feel a little more unhinged.

Thanksgiving (2023)

"Thanksgiving (2023)"

Eli Roth finally made the fake trailer from Grindhouse into a real feature, and somehow it works. A Plymouth town still scarred by a Black Friday tragedy gets stalked by a killer in a pilgrim mask, serving up violence that’s both tongue-in-cheek and legitimately gnarly. It’s glossy, mean, and way better than it had any right to be.

Thankskilling (2008)

"Thankskilling (2008)"

There is no universe where Thankskilling is a good movie. And yet, it’s impossible to deny the gravitational pull of a foul-mouthed, homicidal turkey puppet delivering slasher one-liners with the confidence of someone who has never seen a real film. It’s stupid, it knows it’s stupid, and that honesty is its superpower.

Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead (2006)

"Poultrygeist (2006)"

Troma does Thanksgiving by way of mutant zombie chickens. There are songs. There are bodily fluids. There are jokes that probably violated several federal guidelines. It’s deranged, loud, and kind of perfect if you want holiday horror that leans fully into chaos instead of subtlety.

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Kristy (2014)

"Kristy (2014)"

A quiet Thanksgiving break on a near-empty college campus turns into a cat-and-mouse survival thriller. It’s slick, tight, and way more tense than its low-key reputation suggests. A nice palette cleanser between the more ridiculous entries on this list.

The Last Thanksgiving (2020)

"The Last Thanksgiving (2020)"

Low-budget, scrappy, and deeply committed to the bit: a family of cannibal pilgrims targeting restaurant workers on Thanksgiving. It’s rough around the edges, but the DIY charm is strong, and it earns its place in the holiday horror canon by simply caring more than anyone expected.

Blood Rage (1987)

"Blood Rage (1987)"

Okay, it’s technically set on Thanksgiving, but the real feast is the vibe: neon slasher energy, twin confusion, and some of the most chaotic dinner-table behavior ever captured on film. One of the great “party slashers” of the 80s, even if the holiday connection is mostly gravy.

Home Sweet Home (1981)

"Home Sweet Home (1981)"

A coked-out bodybuilder terrorizes a family Thanksgiving gathering. That’s it, that’s the premise. The results are messy, weirdly energetic, and accidentally hilarious. If you want something that feels like it escaped from a VHS bin at a gas station, this scratches the itch.

Blood Freak (1972)

"Blood Freak (1972)"

A man eats drug-laced turkey and becomes a giant turkey-headed monster with a hunger for human blood. It’s anti-drug propaganda mixed with regional horror oddities and leftover poultry. Completely unhinged, and honestly a Thanksgiving essential if you like your cinema genuinely baffling.

Wrapping Up

Thanksgiving horror isn’t about prestige - it’s about commitment. Commitment to the bit, commitment to seasonal weirdness, commitment to giving the turkey a knife and asking “what if?” Whether you want something polished (Thanksgiving), proudly trashy (Thankskilling), or full Troma chaos (Poultrygeist), there’s a plate here worth sampling.