Eli Roth Says He's "Cracked The Story" On Turning 'Thanksgiving' Short Into A Feature Film

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by Kevin Jagernauth
August 23, 2012 11:03 AM
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It's hard to believe, but it's coming on five years now since Eli Roth last directed a feature-length film ("Hostel: Part II"). Since then, he's been busy as a producer, throwing his weight behind "The Last Exorcism," the upcoming films "Aftershock" and "The Man With Iron Fists" (both of which he co-wrote as well). But he hasn't stayed away from directing entirely, helming the short "Nation's Pride," which appeared in his buddy Quentin Tarantino's "Inglourious Basterds," as well as the pilot for the upcoming Netflix horror series "Hemlock Grove." And while Roth has had a couple of projects percolating -- including the sci-fi flick "Endangered Species," which he said last summer will be his next film -- "Grindhouse" fans will be happy to know one particular project still has some life.

Among the strong handful of fake trailers in the Tarantino/Rodriguez double feature (which were arguably better than either "Death Proof" or "Planet Terror") was Roth's "Thanksgiving." As the title suggests, it's a slasher flick set on Turkey Day, and it's one that Roth has tossed around for the past couple years as something he's expand into a feature. And it seems he's getting a bit closer. Chatting with Behind The Thrills (via Prefix), he says the movie is “going to happen."

“[We've] finally cracked the story and how to make it really scary” and “we’ll have a screenplay soon” Roth said, revealing that it will be co-written by him, his writing partner Jeff Rendell, Jon Watts and Christopher D. Ford. The latter two are behind "Clown," a horror pic that Roth signed up to produce last year, and he seems enthusiastic to work with the duo. However, don't keep your expectations too high.

Roth has been saying more or less the same thing for the past few years, with the last update back in 2010 proclaiming he'd have a script banged out once his promo duties for "The Last Exorcism" were finished. Obviously, that didn't happen. So we'll keep our expectations realistic for the moment. But until something concrete lands, here's the short that started it all for old times sake.

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ArcherSlyce | August 23, 2012 12:00 PMReply

Also not too long ago he was talking about a flick called Green Inferno (IIRC) that he was to write/direct ... maybe this was cut short after ABC's The river went ... down the river talking (had to). Anyway kudos to the guy for doing what he does best.... keeping the PR machine rolling.