Sixteen years after its trailer debuted as part of the Grindhouse theatrical experience, Eli Roth’s slasher film “Thanksgiving” made its long-awaited entry into theaters last weekend.

The R-rated gore-fest was crafted on a $15 million budget, a figure expected to be surpassed in the days ahead. In the United States, “Thanksgiving” scared up $10.2 million during its debut, contributing to a global opening weekend total of $12.6 million.

While not an overwhelmingly huge opening for Roth’s return to horror—taking into account marketing expenses and other considerations, “Thanksgiving” likely needs to hit $30 million before turning a profit—it’s nonetheless a thrilling sight to witness an old-school, blood-soaked slasher making its mark at the box office in 2023. Moreover, both fans and critics are praising this return to basics, evident in the film’s 83% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

There’s speculation whether “Thanksgiving” might see a significant drop after the holiday, but Roth’s latest still has a few days to capitalize on the seasonal theme. This film remains under close watch in the upcoming days.

Expanding on Roth’s faux trailer from Grindhouse (2007), the movie was globally released in theaters by TriStar Pictures and Spyglass Media Group (Scream).

In “Thanksgiving,” a mysterious killer inspired by the holiday terrorizes Plymouth, Massachusetts, following a tragic Black Friday riot.

The feature-length slasher boasts a cast including Patrick Dempsey, Addison Rae, Jalen Thomas Brooks (“Walker”), Milo Manheim (“Zombies”), Nell Verlaque (“Big Shot”), Gina Gershon (“Chucky”), Tim Dillon, and Rick Hoffman (“Hostel”).

Roth co-wrote the script with Jeff Rendell, while Roger Birnbaum and Eli Roth took on production duties.