Snowbound Scares – 10 Chilling Winter Horror Movies

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Ice Cold Winter Horror Movies

It’s that time of year again. Christmas day is done and we are slap bang in the middle of the holiday taint, otherwise known as the Merrineum. The presents are unwrapped, the turkey has been carved and devoured, the television is full of repeats and there is nothing to do but sit around relaxing.

As far as horror goes, this is an odd time of year. You may be craving a wintery horror movie with plenty of snow and ice but can’t take anymore of the whole festive thing we talked about in our Festive Frights category. Well, you are in luck as we have ten ice cold horror movies that are perfect to fill in that gap.

All of these movies are set in the winter and feature snowy landscapes and icy thrills. Most of them are pretty good, as well. we have reviewed a few so click the links to check them out. Others, we will get around to eventually. Without further ado, let’s take a look.

❄️ At a Glance: Top 5 Winter Horror Hits

10. Curtains (1983) – Ice Cold Auditions

The Cold Factor: It looks bad, the script and story telling is horrendous, and the production was fraught with difficulties. But it is hard to dismiss that cheap, low budget, 80s slasher charm. Especially when there is plenty of snow and ice setting it apart from its contemporaries.

Knockout Verdict: A chilly reception.

Inspired by Italian Giallo films of the 1960s and 70s. Curtains is a Canadian slasher that focuses on a group of aspiring actresses being taken out, one by one, by a masked killer at the director’s elaborate rural mansion.

This is a movie that tries to do things a bit different and ends up feeling fairly messy and a bit silly in the process. Probably the least great horror on this list, Curtains has developed a cult following for, what can only be described as, it’s pure weirdness. Look at that screenshot, as well. It’s pure winter goodness.

9. No Exit (2022) – Snowed In with Sin

The Cold Factor: The claustrophobic setting and blizzard conditions make this a perfect winter horror film and add to a fairly unique feeling that few other movies share. No Exit isn’t exactly the most thrilling of thrillers, but the atypical cast and some fairly interesting plot points make this one a decently compelling watch.

Knockout Verdict: No way out, literally.

This one, probably, leans a little more heavily towards being a thriller but there is plenty for horror fans to enjoy, here. No Exit follows recovering drug addict Darby as she discovers a kidnapped child in a van while snowed in at an interstate rest stop.

The child must belong to one of the people there but, the question is, who? Characters are a little underdeveloped and the pacing is a little off, but it is still worth a watch. That cabin looks weirdly cosy too, placed against the backdrop of freezing ice.

8. Cold Prey (2006) – Nordic Freeze

The Cold Factor: A group of friends hike up a mountain for some snowboarding fun. After one of them breaks their leg, the group head into an abandoned hotel to get away from the frigid cold. The only problem is that they are not alone and they are about to find themselves in a fight for their very lives in this slasher from Norway. We don’t need to elaborate on why this movie is on the list, right? It’s titled Cold Prey!

Knockout Verdict: Snowboarding into hell.

I watched Cold Prey a decently long time ago and seriously enjoyed it. It is an absolutely perfect option for this list with the entire movie taking place in a very snowed in, and extremely frigid looking, environment.

Sure, it doesn’t do anything new and feels like far more of an American slasher than a novel, Norwegian, take on the genre. That doesn’t stop it being a great watch, though. It has plenty of gore and some inventive kills. There is, also, a sequel to Cold Prey that offers more of the same, which is a nice bonus.

7. The Signal (2007) – New Year’s Noise

The Cold Factor: This one is less about snow and more about the time of year. The Signal takes place at New Year and offers an interesting narrative that is presented from three different perspectives. It is a good concept and the timing is perfect if you are looking for some New Year horror.

Knockout Verdict: Can you hear me now?

The basic outline of The Signal is that a mysterious signal has infiltrated radio waves, television and cell phones, turning everyone who encounters it into a maniacal killer. This is another horror I watched a fair while ago. It sort of plays out like an anthology movie.

It’s centred around one theme and takes place in a non-linear manner over the course of a day. Each segment is directed by a different person with The Ritual’s David Bruckner teaming up with Dan Bush and Jacob Gentry. It’s interesting stuff and has a lot of ideas, even if the sections feel disparate. I feel like it goes under the radar a little bit, as well.

6. Dead Snow (2009) – Ein, Zwei, Die

The Cold Factor: This is the perfect movie to scratch that very specific itch when you just feel like watching a horde of maniacal zombies, in German army regalia, going wild. It’s also helped by the setting as this is a great option when you are looking for horror in the snow. The landscape here is icy cold.

Knockout Verdict: Icy dead people.

We are back to Norway with this next entry as a group of students find themselves in a fight for survival after a skiing trip brings them face to face with the ultimate evil… Nazi Zombies. This is another movie that spawned a sequel and another example of how great Norway is at knocking out genuinely brilliant horror.

Dead Snow probably shouldn’t be as fun as it is but the mix of silliness, comedy, and gore works tremendously well. You will be wondering why you enjoyed it so much but you will be glad you checked it out.

5. The Children (2008) – Tantrums and Terror

The Cold Factor: This movie is the perfect option when we are talking about the Merrineum The Children takes place just after Christmas in that dull period up to new year’s day. A family join up together with their children at a large house in England to spend the New Year together. Little do they realise that something very strange has taken hold of the kids and turned them into blood thirsty little bastards.

Knockout Verdict: Playtime is over.

The Children is a well loved scare-fest and works as both a winter horror and a Christmas horror. It leans into some fairly redundant drama stuff and doesn’t always hit the mark. But some of the kills are fantastic and the frequent injury detail is legitimately nasty.

Not to mention the fact that if features kids as antagonists. Something not seen nearly enough in horror. It’s absolutely bathed in snow as well, something which is kind of strange for a British horror movie. We awarded The Children 3/5 in our review.

4. We Are Still Here (2015) – Burnt Offerings in the Snow

The Cold Factor: We Are Still Here is set in rural New England during the 70s. It’s also wintery as hell so fits this list perfectly. A grieving couple who recently lost their teenage son find themselves the victims of a group of marauding spirits. But could the source of the attacks be a little closer to home than they originally thought?

Knockout Verdict: The heat is on.

You could make the argument that We Are Still Here was overrated a tad, back on its release in 2015. It appeared in a bunch of “Best of” lists and left people expecting a little too much. The result was a lot of disappointed viewers who wanted to be wowed but were left very underwhelmed.

Still, this is a great horror with a very novel take on something that, let’s be honest, is overdone to death. It might take two watches to enjoy We Are Still Here but it is worth checking out. It’s sublimely fitting of a winter themed horror movie list, as well.

3. Frozen (2010) – Hanging by a Thread

The Cold Factor: Frozen follows three friends as they hang out for the day skiing. Heading up for one last trip down the mountain, the friends are dismayed to find themselves stranded on a chairlift halfway up the mountain with no way down. Completely alone and with no chance of help; the bitterly cold landscape acts as an antagonist and a tormentor in this enjoyable horror flick.

Knockout Verdict: Don’t look down.

Directed by Adam Green of the Hatchet series fame. I am really happy to see this movie getting a bit more love through a 2020’s lens. We checked Frozen out back on release and enjoyed it far more than I thought we would. I was actually kind of surprised to see the lukewarm critical reception.

The concept is simple, the acting is fine, there are enough thrills to keep the movie entertaining, and it feels like a fresh idea that hasn’t really been done before. Sure, it’s not high art but Frozen is, simply, enjoyable horror silliness. That ski lift looks like the coldest place on earth for most of the movie, too.

2. The Shining (1980) – All Work and No Play

The Cold Factor: The Shining follows a family heading to the Overlook Hotel so recovering alcoholic, and aspiring author, Jack (Jack Nicholson) can take care of it during the offseason. It’s also full of snow and ice so perfect for our list. One of the greatest movies to ever grace the genre. The Shining is a must watch and a perfect option to fill the gloomy void between Christmas and the new year.

Knockout Verdict: Here’s Johnny!

You can’t do a list about wintery horror movies and not include Stanley Kubrick’s seminal The Shining, can you? Based on the Stephen King novel. It follows a family heading to the Overlook Hotel to work as caretakers for the winter. Little realising that the secluded, haunted location will drive the family’s patriarch to murderous insanity. It’s both scary and captivating while also being bitterly cold in the process.

Whether you love it or hate it, it is hard to deny the impact The Shining has had on the horror genre. Its twisty, trippy, supernatural tale of isolation and madness is iconic and the performances are some of the greatest in horror history.

1. Misery (1990) – I’m Your Number One Fan

The Cold Factor: Misery is one of my favourite horror movies of all time and a great option for some wintery thrills. Especially considering it is the oppressive snow that leads author Paul Sheldon (James Caan) into his terrifying predicament after he suffers a crash during a storm.

Knockout Verdict: Hobbling along nicely.

Arguably not as good as the number 2 movie on our list, Misery finds itself in the top spot purely because I enjoy it more. Directed by the late Rob Reiner and based on another Stephen King novel. Author Paul Sheldon is nearly killed after his car comes off the road in heavy snow. His predicament is about to get a lot worse as he is rescued by his biggest fan: the slightly psychopathic Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates).

Misery is well supported by two brilliant actors. With Kathy Bates’ Oscar winning performance being one of the greatest of all time when it comes to horror. Misery is genuinely unnerving and manages to be scary and tense throughout, despite never resorting to spooky spirits, tons of gore, or masked killers. An absolute horror classic, we awarded Misery 4.5/5 in our review.

Stay Frosty

That wraps up our list of 10 Winter Themed Horror Movies. From the claustrophobic isolation of The Shining to the frozen chairlifts of, well, Frozen, these films prove that the cold weather is the perfect backdrop for terror. Hopefully, these picks help you navigate the “Merrineum” with a few chills to go along with the spills.

If you enjoyed this list, why not stick around? We have plenty more horror movie lists to check out, or you can dive into our latest horror reviews. Thanks for reading Knockout Horror!

❄️ Quick Picks: The Best Winter Horror Movies by Vibe

The “Masterpiece” Pick: Misery (1990)
For when you want incredible acting and genuine suspense. Kathy Bates is terrifying, and the isolation feels palpable. It is a masterclass in tension.

The “Cabin Fever” Pick: The Shining (1980)
For when you want a slow descent into madness. It is the ultimate “snowed in” movie, full of iconic imagery and a haunting atmosphere that sticks with you.

The “Pure Adrenaline” Pick: Frozen (2010)
For when you want to sweat while shivering. The concept of being stuck on a ski lift is simple, terrifying, and executed brilliantly. Do not look down.

The “Fun & Gory” Pick: Dead Snow (2009)
For when you just want entertainment. Nazi zombies in the snow. It is silly, bloody, and surprisingly well-made. A perfect popcorn horror movie.

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