From ‘Thankgiving’ to ‘Machete’: Every fake ‘Grindhouse’ trailer that became a real movie, explained

Nearly two decades ago, Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez helmed blood-splattered collaboration Grindhouse, with the portmanteau horror movie introducing an onslaught of ridiculously gory and entertaining faux trailers — several of which have been made into separate features. But which movies specifically became real?

Of course, with how decorated and beloved Grindhouse continues to be, it goes without saying that the movie provides plenty of endless entertaining moments — although the inclusion of parody trailers is undoubtedly one of its glaring highlights. Most of these fake trailers point at a B-grade horror or action movie, but that doesn’t make these trailers any less intriguing to gorehounds — especially those that have waited years for these trailers to become real films.

So, let’s dive in and examine which faux trailers in Grindhouse became actual movies while we wait for the two other fake features — namely, Edgar Wright’s Don’t and Rob Zombie’s Werewolf Women of the SS — to follow in their footsteps.

Machete (2010)

It would feel like an absolute travesty if I didn’t specifically highlight the importance of 2010’s Machete — which kickstarted the process of taking the mock trailers in Grindhouse to create real-life movies. In doing so, the action extravaganza helped to establish actor Danny Trejo as a household name, with Trejo starring as the titular character Machete who utilizes a machete as his personal weapon of choice when tangled up in crime. 13 years later, it’s hard to deny just how off-the-wall wonderful the trailer-turned-feature truly is.

Hobo with a Shotgun (2011)

In the hopes of following the success and popularity of Machete, black-comedy action Hobo with a Shotgun served as the second adaptation based on mock trailers showcased in Grindhouse. And if you thought Machete was insanely whacky and wildly entertaining, then I simply have to state that Jason Eisener’s venture certainly takes the cake. From various shotgun-blasting sequences and vigilantes on the loose, the 2011 feature is chock-full of endless amusement which showcases plenty of creative freedom. 

Thanksgiving (2023)

As one of the best slashers movies of the year, I cheerfully couldn’t wait to tackle Eli Roth’s blood-stained Thanksgiving — which is currently showing in theaters now and earning tons of praise. While the other two movies are already released and the other two being awaited, there’s absolutely no denying that Roth’s passion project has been a much-anticipated feature that folks have been hoping for since its brief introduction back in Grindhouse. That being said, there’s something particularly special about this horror movie, with a possible franchise already being discussed as the horror-loving masses continue to soak up its gory goodness.