After the grisly surprise success of Eli Roth’s 2023 holiday horror hit Thanksgiving, fans had one question on their minds: Could lightning strike twice? With Thanksgiving 2: Blood Harvest, the answer is a blood-soaked, cornfield-screaming “yes”—and then some.
Picking up one year after the original Plymouth massacre, Blood Harvest finds the town still reeling from the carnage wrought by the masked killer, John Carver. But peace, of course, is temporary. As the town prepares for a more “respectful” harvest festival meant to honor victims of the previous year’s events, a new string of murders begins—each one more brutal and symbolic than the last.
This time, the killer has evolved. The murders are themed around colonial sins, indigenous revenge, and old Thanksgiving rituals—twisting American history into terrifying performance art. Victims are harvested like crops, left in grotesque “tableau” scenes across abandoned farms and community centers. The message is clear: Carver is back—or someone is carrying on his work.
Director Eli Roth returns, doubling down on both satire and slasher tropes. The film is gorier, darker, and surprisingly smarter than its predecessor. While the first Thanksgiving was a gory throwback to '80s grindhouse horror, Blood Harvest adds layers of historical commentary and social tension. Think The Purge meets Midsommar—with a meat cleaver.
Nell Verlaque reprises her role as Jessica, now a trauma-hardened survivor who begins investigating a conspiracy hidden in the town's colonial past. Patrick Dempsey is notably absent, but his character’s legacy casts a shadow over the plot, which cleverly ties into past events without feeling forced. Newcomer Jacob Lattimore brings fresh energy as a podcaster obsessed with true crime who may know more than he lets on.
Cinematographer Brandon Trost brings an eerie, golden-hued fall aesthetic that lingers in every shot—like a pumpkin pie gone sour. The film’s sound design is also notable, with distorted pilgrim hymns and church bells underscoring key sequences to unsettling effect.
If there's a fault, it’s that the film occasionally leans too far into shock for shock’s sake. One death involving a corn thresher and a human scarecrow may test the stomachs of even hardened horror fans. But that’s part of the ride.
Thanksgiving 2: Blood Harvest is a rare sequel that improves on its concept, delivering carnage with purpose and turning American tradition into a deliciously dark nightmare. The feast isn’t over—it's just getting started.
