30 November & Thanksgiving Horror Movies Perfect For Following Up On Halloween

Welcome to Knockout Horror. Ah, November. It’s just around the corner, now and it is one of my favourite months. The Halloween decorations are about to be packed away, the air’s got a proper chill (even though it is still raining all the time here in Wales), and everyone’s getting ready for the festive season. It’s that cosy, yet slightly gloomy gap before the full-on Christmas madness, and honestly? It’s an underrated month when it comes to all things spooky.

That’s doubly true when you think of what an important time of year this is in the USA. The Thanksgiving celebrations are soon to be in full force. Copious amounts of food will be eaten, pants will be unbuttoned, and the arguments between infrequently seen family members will be legendary. Although we don’t celebrate Thanksgiving in the UK, it’s a holiday that’s easy to appreciate. It’s also the perfect backdrop for some horror fun.

To get you guys in the mood, I’ve put together a list of 30 films set during the dark, chilly month of November. Most of them centre around that all-American tradition of Thanksgiving, which, as it turns out, is a fantastic backdrop for everything from slashers to alien abductions. Others just take place in the month itself. Many of them are, frankly, pretty awful but there are some truly solid movies, too.

Here are 30 November & Thanksgiving Horror Movies Perfect For Following up on Halloween. For a more directly autumnal theme, check out our list of 25 Cosy Autumnal Horror Movies. I will say, before we start, these movies are just about impossible to objectively rate so we are going to go off of IMDb user score.

30. Amityville Thanksgiving (2022)

IMDb: 1.7

I saw the cover for this movie and the absolutely terrible IMDb user score and knew that there was no way I could exclude it from the list. It’s hilarious! The tagline is “Get Stuffed, Mother Clucker“. Awesome! I am fairly sure this must have been a crowdfunded project, too, with all the weird cameos.

We all love terrible horror in autumn, right? A struggling couple spends Thanksgiving at a rented house in Amityville hoping to reconnect, but their host has plans for a dinner they will never forget where they are the guests of honor. In all honesty, it’s terrible but will probably satisfy on a bad horror movie watch-along.

29. Home Sweet Home (1981)

IMDb: 3.5

An escaped mental patient high on PCP crashes a dysfunctional family’s Thanksgiving gathering at their remote ranch, determined to make them question just how thankful they should be. Did I mention that a lot of these movies are going to be low budget slashers of questionable quality?

It’s kind of a shame that Home Sweet Home’s Jay Jones, played by the super hench body-builder Jake Steinfeld, doesn’t get literally any love when it comes to slasher villains. With that being said, you should know what to expect, here. Loads of ridiculous gore, annoying characters, some outrageous kills, and a bevy of terrible acting, as well as generally awful movie making. Believe it or not, this one even managed to get banned here in the UK as a video nasty. Have fun!

28. Blood Freak (1972)

IMDb: 3.6

A biker gets experimented on at a turkey farm and mutates into a giant, blood-drinking, turkey-headed monster who goes on a drug-fueled rampage. What more do you need to know? Okay, not explicitly thanksgiving but I think it definitely fits the vibe and it’s far too strange to leave out.

This is an absolutely ridiculous slice of 70’s Grindhouse style horror exploitation that features terrible acting, a farcical story, and a horrendous script. For some weird reason, despite it’s problems, it’s actually enjoyable. I laughed my ass off throughout. Again, grab some popcorn and add it to your bad movie night lineup.

27. Ghost Note (2017)

IMDb: 3.8

Childhood friends reunite in their hometown over Thanksgiving and uncover the legend of an immortal, demon-possessed blues musician who is now haunting the area and seeking victims.

What an utterly farcical plot. One thing that always surprises me with movies like this is that, despite the ridiculous plot, they actually play things quite seriously. Ghost Note really doesn’t lean into the b-movie silliness anywhere near enough to make it a solid recommend. It’s just not cheesy enough but it’s one of only a relatively small number of Thanksgiving themed horror movies so might be worth your time regardless.

26. The Last Thanksgiving (2020)

IMDb: 4.0

A family running a diner decides to host one last free Thanksgiving meal for lonely locals before closing down. Unfortunately for the guests, they may just end up on the menu as the very special main course.

The Last Thanksgiving is pretty unashamed of what it is. It’s an ode to terrible cannibal b-movies that you would find right at the bottom of the bargain bin at a video rental shop. It’s not good by literally any measure but it’s surprisingly fun nonetheless.

25. Séance (2006)

IMDb: 4.2

Stuck in their dorm over the Thanksgiving break, college students hold a séance to try and rid themselves of the spirit of a troublesome little girl, but accidentally unleash the malevolent spirit of her killer instead.

Look, I won’t lie, this one is pretty damn average but it definitely qualifies as a November and Thanksgiving themed horror movie. Fans of ghost stories might find something to like but it’s fairly middling even as far as that theme goes.

24. ThanksKilling (2008)

IMDb: 4.2

We are only a few movies in and already we have two titles with killer turkeys gracing the front cover. Love it! ThanksKilling follows a group of college kids heading home for the holiday who are suddenly hunted by “Turkie,” a demonic, foul-mouthed turkey brought back by an ancient curse.

It’s utterly ridiculous but surprisingly fun. This is one of a few movies on this list that has a serious cult following. It was directed by Jordan Downey who would follow this movie up with two increasingly poor sequels and the Stork segment in V/H/S/Beyond.. Not bad!

23. Boogeyman (2005)

IMDb: 4.2

Just to clarify, we don’t mean the 2023 Rob Savage movie, here. We mean the 2005 low-budget Thanksgiving themed horror. Returning to his childhood home for Thanksgiving, a young man must confront the crippling terror of the Boogeyman. A creature that he believes took his father years ago but is it all in his head?

Did you know that Zooey Deschanel has an actor sister called Emily? Well, you do now and she features in this movie that I remember watching a long time ago but completely forgot was Thanksgiving themed until recently. It’s directed by Stephen Kay who has a pretty extensive body of work. It’s, perhaps, not quite as horror focused as some might expect but it’s quite watchable if you lower your expectations.

22. When the Trash Man Knocks (2023)

IMDb: 4.5

A small Southern town’s Thanksgiving descends into chaos when a deranged local killer, known as “The Trash Man,” resurfaces, hell bent on creating his own nightmarish version of a family.

Director Chris Moore is something of a purveyor of low-budget horror movies that don’t seem to get a lot of love. When The Trash Man Knocks is no different. You might actually be surprised at how slow the buildup is, here. This is a movie that takes itself surprisingly seriously. Still, as far as Thanksgiving themed horror movies go, it’s worth checking out.

21. Derelicts (2017)

IMDb: 4.6

A tense Thanksgiving dinner for a dysfunctional family turns into a nightmare when their home is invaded by a gang of psychotic vagrants who force them to play a series of violent, twisted games.

You may know director Brett Glassberg for his M is for Mind Meld segment in the 2016 horror anthology ABCs of Death 2.5. Derelicts is his feature length debut and, honestly, it’s not horrendous. It’s low budget but has some good ideas that make it worth a watch. It kind of feels, at least to me, like a deranged horror version of a lifetime drama movie.

20. Black Friday (2021)

IMDb: 4.7

Man, the IMDb user score on this one has dropped dramatically since I reviewed it a few years back. The story follows a group of toy shop employees (including Bruce Campbell) as they are preparing for the Black Friday rush on Thanksgiving night. Little realising that they will soon find themselves in a life and death struggle against an parasitic alien invasion.

There’s a pretty decent cast buried somewhere inside Black Friday’s flawed, sci-fi carnage packed, Thanksgiving horror. It has a lot of problems but it’s also one of those movies that you might really enjoy if you are in the mood for a proper old fashioned b-movie. Check out our review right here.

19. Grandma Werewolf (2017)

IMDb: 5.6

During Thanksgiving dinner, a recently widowed grandmother casually announces to her family that she’s a werewolf. They don’t believe her… until she transforms and proves it to them.

Look, that IMDb user score is pretty high but I can’t bump this up the list a ton. It only has 90+ ratings so that is sure to be a little inaccurate. Grandma Werewolf is as ridiculous as the title suggests. The acting, the costume work, the terrible parenting. Loads of fun for a bad horror movie night, though.

18. Buzzard Hollow Beef (2017)

IMDb: 5.7

A small town family celebrating Thanksgiving experiences terrifying hallucinations after eating local meat. Leading them to suspect that they’ve been poisoned by the secretive, cannibalistic Solomon family.

Okay, this is another one with an IMDb score that is high but made up of only a small number of votes. This one takes a looooong time to get to the action. If you think you are in for some cannibalistic carnage, you might want to think again. For the most part, we are joining the family for Thanksgiving. Once it gets going, it is a lot more interesting but it takes awhile to get there.

17. Never Open the Door (2014)

IMDb: 5.2

Three couples enjoying a Thanksgiving getaway in a secluded cabin are thrown into paranoia and terror after a stranger arrives, warns them “Never open the door,” and passes away.

Never Open the Door feels like a bit of an ode to the Twilight Zone. The plot is pretty vague, the entire thing is filmed in black and white, and there’s an overwhelming sense of the uncanny. Think Coherence but nowhere near as good. It’s extremely strange and definitely not for everyone. Give it a try if you like your thanksgiving horror with a dash of the weird.

16. The Innkeepers (2011)

IMDb: 5.5

During the final days of operation at the spooky Yankee Pedlar Inn, the two remaining employees decide to document the hotel’s alleged hauntings, experiencing terrifying events that suggest the legends may just be real.

So, this one isn’t explicitly set in November but we can reasonably deduce that it probably is. It has that perfect autumnal, crisp cold vibe that feels so distinctly November and is set during the pre-Christmas lull. I really enjoyed The Innkeepers. It’s very lo-fi when it comes to the horror, though, so probably won’t appeal to everyone. Ti West certainly went in a distinctly different direction with is subsequent releases. Check out our review right here.

15. Deadly Friend (1986)

IMDb: 5.6

After his neighbour Sam is left brain-dead following an accident on Thanksgiving, a teen genius implants his destroyed robot’s microchip into her brain. She awakens, but deeply changed and thirsty for violence.

We are finally starting to get to some decent movies and the last two are a great way to kick things off. Wes Craven knocked out a few lesser known horror films after the success of The Nightmare on Elm Street and this is one of them. It’s a modern(ish) take on the story of Frankenstein but far sillier and far weirder than you might expect. It also features some genuinely likable characters.

14. The Oath (2018)

IMDb: 5.7

In a politically charged near-future, a family’s tense Thanksgiving celebration is overshadowed by a deadline to sign a government loyalty oath. Eventually, the event explodes into violence when federal agents arrive to interrogate them.

So this one is probably more of a thriller than a horror but it has enough violence and nastiness to keep genre fans happy. It feels weirdly timely, all of a sudden, and seems to have earned the ire of certain groups of people in America. It’s probably best not to take it too seriously and just enjoy the carnage. It’s quite a lot of fun.

13. The Boneyard (1991)

IMDb: 5.7

Called to a morgue on a grim and muggy November night, a psychic and two detectives discover ancient, child-sized ghouls feeding on corpses, leading to a night of grotesque undead mayhem. Sounds pretty great right? This is old fashioned B-movie fun that even includes a mutant zombie poodle!.

The thing that always made me laugh about The Boneyard is the way it actually plays itself quite seriously, in parts. At its heart, this is a proper b-movie with a lot of laughs and some absolutely ridiculous carnage. It also features a genuinely great cast that might surprise you if you recognise them.

12. Home Movie (2008)

IMDb: 5.8

This found-footage film tells the story of a family living in a remote woodland home as their young twins exhibit increasingly sinister and violent behaviour. Home Movie is pretty interesting as it manages to encompass a whole bunch of holidays alongside Thanksgiving including Halloween and Christmas.

Director Christopher Denham actually does a very nice job of making the kids here legitimately creepy thanks to some clever writing. They are pretty damn evil as well which adds a decent amount of tension and actual horror to the story. I can’t stand the dad and kinda think he deserves to be punished by these ruthless little buggers but I suppose that adds to the fun. Check out our review of Home Movie right here.

11. Pilgrim (2019)

IMDb: 5.8

To teach her family gratitude, a mother invites overly authentic historical re-enactors into her home to recreate an actual Thanksgiving dinner. Things take a serious turn for the worse, however, when the group entirely refuse to break character. This is a story that does a pretty nice job of reflecting on the more sinister side of the Thanksgiving holiday.

To be perfectly honest, I am cheating a little here as Pilgrim is actually an episode of the Hulu series Into the Dark. It’s the same length as a feature film, though, and the theme fits like an absolute glove when it comes to Thanksgiving horror. The main character is utterly obnoxious which is kind of a good thing considering what is about to happen to her.

10. Blood Rage (1987)

IMDb: 5.8

We absolutely had to include this Holiday classic on the list. On Thanksgiving, now fully grown, Todd escapes the asylum where he was framed for murder by his twin brother, Terry. The real killer, Terry, uses the escape as cover for a new holiday killing spree.

That’s definitely not cranberry sauce. Blood Rage probably has to be up there with some of the most fun camp 80’s slashers of all time. It’s utterly ridiculous, completely over the top, and full of nudity and gore. Let’s not get it twisted, though. It’s not a great movie by any stretch, but for some Thanksgiving Horror silliness, it’s a perfect option. Check out our review right here.

9. Kristy (2014)

IMDb: 5.9

I should probably include the obligatory “I don’t like this movie as much as a lot of people do” before I talk about it. It definitely deserves a mention, though. Alone on a deserted college campus over Thanksgiving, Justine becomes the target of a violent cult who hunt and kill those they find alone, calling their victims “Kristy.”

Kristy is ideal as a Thanksgiving horror movie. The campus, almost entirely abandoned, makes for a very interesting setting and Justine’s final girl chops are up there with some of the best. So much so that we featured her in our list of horror’s best final girls. There’s some great kills and enough tension to keep things interesting. Check out our review right here.

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

IMDb: 6.0

A fast-food chicken joint built on an ancient burial ground becomes ground zero for horror when spirits possess the food and customers, turning them into chicken zombies. I was actually really glad to see how many people on IMDb love this movie. It’s not a thanksgiving movie, though. It just happens to be set in November.

Look, align your expectations before watching. This is a Lloyd Kaufman Troma classic but it makes for perfect November horror viewing. There’s singing, there’s dancing, there’s gross out moments and tons of gore, and nobody is safe from that trademark Troma humour. This might actually be their best movie ever but expect raunchy humour and don’t expect good taste.

7. Alien Abduction: Incident in Lake County (1998)

IMDb: 6.2

How about a found footage horror that a lot of people probably never knew existed? This TV movie shows a family’s Thanksgiving dinner interrupted by aliens who lay siege to their isolated farmhouse. You could make a solid argument that Alien Abduction: Incident in Lake County is the first true found footage horror movie.

Naturally, it’s made for TV so it didn’t get the exposure it might have deserved but it’s a thanksgiving horror curio that really deserves some attention. I caught this late one night on British television and could never find it again until years later. It’s not quite as authentic as some of the found footage films that would follow but it is well worth checking out.

6. Thanksgiving (2023)

IMDb: 6.3

Eli Roth, of Hostel fame, returned to the realm of slashers in 2023 and absolutely knocked it out of the park. Following a deadly Black Friday riot, a mysterious killer in a pilgrim mask terrorises Plymouth, Massachusetts, seeking gory revenge during the Thanksgiving holiday.

There’s so much to love about Thanksgiving. It’s gory, there’s an intriguing mystery at its core, some fantastic kills, a few laughs, and an absolutely great cast. This one really came out of the blue to remind people that holiday themed horror movies could actually be pretty damn awesome. Check out our review right here.

5. House of the Devil (2009)

IMDb: 6.3

A cash-strapped college student takes a mysterious babysitting job during a lunar eclipse at an isolated mansion, unaware her employers are harbouring a dark, satanic secret. This was one of Ti West’s first major movies and stands as a great example of 80’s style horror done right.

I know I am perhaps clutching at straws a bit here, I really didn’t want to include too many crossover titles from my autumnal horror list, either. But allow me to explain my reasoning. House of the Devil is obviously set during fall but there are no Halloween decorations and no Christmas decorations. That means it is most likely November. Either way, the November vibes are pretty damn immaculate here and the cosy 80s nostalgia only makes that all the more apparent. Check out our review of House of the Devil right here.

4. Escape Room (2019)

IMDb: 6.4

Six strangers are invited to participate in an escape room over the Thanksgiving break, only to discover the elaborate puzzles are deadly traps designed by a mysterious organisation. This is one of those movies that wears its inspirations on its sleeve. Feeling very much like Saw and The Cube in its panic inducing puzzle based horror shenanigans.

The Thanksgiving theme is, perhaps, not right at the front and centre here as it plays as more of a setting than a key part of the story. It’s a great movie, though, so definitely fits the bill. It falls apart a little later on but the lead up to that is utterly compelling.

3. You’re Next (2011)

IMDb: 6.6

A wealthy family’s reunion dinner at their secluded country estate is brutally interrupted when a gang of masked, crossbow-wielding killers lays siege to the house. Forcing one guest to turn the tables in the most dramatic way possible. Okay, once again this isn’t explicitly stated to be November but I think it is very clear that’s when You’re Next is set.

There’s bare trees, fallen leaves, crisp autumn air, but no Halloween references so I think it’s pretty obvious. You’re Next even features a family gathering for a meal that is heavily reminscent of Thanksgiving celebrations so that only adds to the November vibes. It’s such a damn good movie, as well. I love to remind people that it exists every chance I get. Erin is easily one of the most bad ass ladies in horror history, as well.

2. Krisha (2015)

IMDb: 7.1

The estranged Krisha returns to her family for Thanksgiving but the subjects of addiction, resentment, and past trauma boil over, leading to an incredibly tense and emotionally devastating holiday. I had to debate this one with my fiancee and for one good reason.

I couldn’t actually decide whether this should be classed as a horror movie or just a psychological drama. It’s so damn depressing and so crushing that we both decided there was enough here for horror fans to enjoy. This is not a fun movie; in fact, it’s bordering on the traumatic. Director Trey Edward Shults has managed to put a melancholy new spin on a very worn out holiday trope. Special mention has to go to the sensational performance of the cast, as well, who were mostly untrained. Amazing stuff.

1. November (2017)

IMDb: 7.1

This one is a big departure from the rest of the movies on this list, most of which are set in the USA. That doesn’t mean it is any less deserving of the top spot on our list. November is a stunning Estonian folk-horror film set in a 19th-century village where peasants use magic to survive the harsh November, dealing with spirits, werewolves, the plague, and the Devil.

This is an incredibly gorgeous, rather surreal, and darkly romantic movie that places the focus on survival during trying times. It’s based on a best selling Estonian novel and dives deep into some local mythology and folk-lore that might go a little bit over your head but is no less compelling. Awesome, haunting stuff and a great chance to see the Autumn from a completely different perspective.

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