Grey’s Anatomy’s Patrick Dempsey Lands Lead Role In Eli Roth’s Horror Thanksgiving

Patrick Dempsey will forever be remembered as Dr. Derek Shepherd or “Dr. MacDreamy” in the long-running hospital drama, Grey’s Anatomy. However, he is once again taking a lead role in a movie. That movie is the horror film Thanksgiving by Eli Roth. In fact, Roth is expanding his fake trailer from the double-feature Grindhouse (2007) into a full-length horror.

Patrick Dempsey to lead in horror movie Thanksgiving

In the form of Dr. Derek Shepherd, Patrick Dempsey recently appeared in Meredith Grey’s (Ellen Pompeo) COVID-fueled beach scenes. His fans were no doubt happy to see him, if only in a guest star appearance.

While Dempsey hasn’t appeared again in Grey’s Anatomy, the actor is certainly keeping busy. He appeared in the Disney sequel Disenchanted as Robert Philip. However, his new leading role is far away from hospital dramas or Disney princesses. He will star in Eli Roth’s upcoming horror movie, Thanksgiving. According to Deadline, filming could start as early as next month.

Fake Grindhouse trailer turned movie

The new movie is being expanded from Roth’s 2007 fake trailer from the double-feature, Grindhouse into a full movie. The trailer comprised Robert Rodriguez’s Planet Terror and Quentin Tarantino’s Death Proof. Meanwhile, Grindhouse screened a number of exploitation trailers throughout its theatrical run. One of these was Roth’s two-minute trailer for Thanksgiving, along with another from Edgar Wright – Last Night in Soho. Apologies for the poor-quality YouTube video which is age-restricted and only available on the video platform here.

Reportedly Roth was keen to not only have a well-known actor in the lead but is also interested in the idea of Dempsey playing a very different role. Meanwhile, Jeff Rendell, the co-writer for the Thanksgiving short, will also act as the feature movie’s writer. Moreover, the film’s director plans to build a cast of mostly newcomers.

To get an idea of the plot, Roth’s original trailer followed a killer who crafts a carving board from the inhabitants of a Massachusetts town during the Thanksgiving holiday. Roth himself apparently starred in the short as a man losing his head while being intimate in a convertible.

About Patrick Dempsey’s most recent movie Disenchanted

Meanwhile, the Grey’s Anatomy star last starred on the big screen in the Disney sequel Disenchanted in the role of Robert Philip. Speaking of the project at the time, Dempsey told Digital Spy, “Learning the lyrics and the dance was an extraordinary experience and something I’d never done before. It’s an extraordinary feeling you get when you sing.”

The Grey’s Anatomy alum added that it was nice to be in the fairytale world for a while, adding:

It’s a great opportunity to play something that was so broad. I don’t get that opportunity and I really loved it.

Moreover, Patrick explained that it is a little scary at first, but was a safe environment to work in and was fun to play. He added that hopefully, people will enjoy that. However, his next project is to play the real-life racing driver, Piero Taruffi in Ferrari. The new movie comes from Michael Mann and features Adam Driver as Ferrari’s founder, Enzo Ferrari.

Dr. MacDreamy is certainly experimenting with different roles and will no doubt do well in the upcoming movie Thanksgiving.

Meanwhile, Grey’s Anatomy season 19 airs Thursdays on ABC, without Patrick Dempsey.