Eli Roth’s upcoming slasher spectacle Thanksgiving is undoubtedly set to etch its name in history as one of the most fruitful holiday horror flicks of all time. But ahead of the project officially arriving in theaters, folks are simply itching to get a small taste at who the masked killer might be — and yes, myself included.
As previously mentioned, the plot of Roth’s horrific brainchild revolves around an unknown perpetrator targeting a group of young victims in the town of Plymouth, Massachusetts after a disastrous Black Friday riot. Assuming the disguise of “John Carver,” one of the original Pilgrims and the eventual first governor of Plymouth Colony, the aforementioned assailant begins utilizing common themes and concepts surrounding Thanksgiving to murder his victims.
With the fresh-faced notion first unveiling as a parody trailer in 2007’s Grindhouse, Roth sought to make the horror extravaganza come to life in the present day. But as gorehounds and the holiday-horror-loving masses prepare for an unforgettable cinematic experience, there’s no doubt in my mind that most onlookers are intrigued at who the “John Carver” killer might actually be.
Milo Manheim as Ryan
Right off the bat, it would be incredibly silly to not even entertain the fact that Ryan could be the killer. While he’s obviously a member of the group of young victims being targeted by John Carver, something just feels a little fishy here. Plus, it definitely wouldn’t be the first time that a member of a friends group turned out to be the killer. After all, Richie from Scream (2022) exists. So come on, a beloved Disney star becoming a Thanksgiving-inspired killer? Sign me up.
Patrick Dempsey as Sheriff Newlon
McDreamy might be having the time of his life right now after being named People’s Sexiest Man Alive for 2023, but we see right through you, Sheriff Newlon. In the trailer, it’s so incredibly obvious that the Sheriff is trying just a little too hard to celebrate Thanksgiving as he urges how important it is for the town of Plymouth. If you ask us, that borders on obsession, and since the John Carver killer appears to be obsessed with the holiday too, the chance for Dempsey’s character to be the killer seems possible.
Rick Hoffman as an unnamed character
That’s right, folks — Louis Litt is back on the prowl. But instead of being the no-nonsense attorney in Suits, this time he has a strong possibility of being the John Carver killer terrorizing the town of Plymouth. Even while discussing the notion of Thanksgiving and the aftermath of the brutal riot in the official trailer, Hoffman’s character simply smiles and allows an eerie “let’s eat” to slip out. I’m not saying he seems guilty, but he seems guilty.
An unknown character seeking revenge for the riot
One of the biggest plot devices throughout the horror flick is in regards to a Black Friday riot which resulted in chaos and destruction. As the town attempts to move on from the tragedy, in steps the John Carver killer who is focused on terrorizing the town of Plymouth. So perhaps the obvious choice here is for the masked killer to be a friend or family member of a person killed during the Black Friday tragedy who is seeking the ultimate form of revenge. It makes the most sense, honestly.
An unnamed character who has nothing to do with the riot
As much as it makes sense for a traumatized friend or family member to be seeking revenge for the Black Friday tragedy, it also makes complete sense for the killer to be someone not associated with the tragedy at all. In fact, it’s often a mistake in horror movies for the killer to have a definitive motive for snapping and going on a murderous rampage. Rather, Eli Roth has the power to have the assailant be a completely random person who is simply obsessed with both killing and Thanksgiving.