Join the winter fun with these winter tales of horror where dire weather circumstances turn snowball fights and building snowmen into a terrifying experience.
Updated May 6, 2026.
The winter is a nice time to snuggle up under a blanket with a nice warm beverage and watching scary stories. While it’s early dark outside, Christmas has come and gone, the real cold winter days seem depressing and gloomy. So what better way to cheer yourself up with some great horror films that are set in the snow, winter or the icy cold. Things could be worse than lying on the sofa under a warm blanket.
Outside in the cold and the dark are roaming terrifying creatures, killers, aliens and ghosts. But inside you are cosy warm with the heating on and ready to hide under the covers, just to keep yourself warm. All the films that are selected differs from each other in genre and style, but they all have the cold, snow and winter in common.
I have put together a list of Winter Horror Films that I have watched and personally recommend. It’s not a list with all the Winter horror films out there or the best ones, but this is a selection of films that I enjoyed watching.
The list is set up by decade and by year. Starting with the most recent films. Each time I have found a new film within this genre that I highly recommend it will be added to the list.
So save this post for more recommendations.
The list consists of 22 films at the moment.
Longlegs (2024)
Stars: Maika Monroe, Nicholas Cage, Balir Underwood. Directed &written by Osgood Perkins. (1h 41m)
Genres: occult, mystery, serial killer, psychological horror, creepy dolls, nineties vibe, winter
In the nineties, Lee Harker is a young FBI agent who gets to work on the case of an elusive serial killer who seems to kill families in their own home without ever going into their houses. Slowly the story unravels and the mystery unfolds, revealing a terrifying tale of murder, choices and Satanic craziness.
It’s a very atmospheric tale with uncanny shots excellent cinematography and sound, a very creepy serial killer who will give you nightmares, creepy all too life-like dolls and a deal with the devil. It is set in January and the winter cold, the stillness of that time of year, the quiet is reflected especially in the character of Lee, who’s a quiet introverted person, but determined. Just like the whole film which has that quiet stillness. You can Read my Full Review.
Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin (2021)
Stars: Emily Bader, Roland Buck III, Dan Lippert. Directed by William Eubank. Written by Christopher Landon, Oren Peli. (1h 38m)
Genres: found footage, occult, cults, demons, winter
Margot is adopted and when she is contacted by Sam who found out they are related, she travels to Buffalo with her friend and cameraman Chris to meet with Sam and his family who are Amish. There is something strange going on, and Margot wants to know the truth.
In contrast to the ominous and foreboding and unique atmosphere of the Paranormal Activity franchise, this takes place in a rural environment, inside a farm and outside where the snow is falling and it’s cold and barren which sets the atmosphere of isolation. In a snow covered landscape a demon is lurking and a new lore is laid bare. You can Read my Full Review (coming soon).
Werewolves Within (2021)
Stars: Sam Richardson, Milana Vayntrub. Directed by Josh Ruben. Written by Mishna Wolff. (1h 37m)
Genres: comedy, werewolves, mystery, slasher, winter
Finn Wheeler is the new ranger in the small town of Beaverfield. The townspeople are dived about the new pipeline and when a snowstorm cuts them off and a maimed body is found, emotions run high and things start to get a little more dire.
It’s a very funny story with very eccentric, freaky and over the top characters who are cause for a lot of comical scenes and over the top humor. Set in the snowstorm, the cold and isolation only exacerbate the situation. It’s also cause for many funny situations, where Finn must find out who the killer/werewolf is before they all get killed. Not only can we guess who the werewolf is, but we also get treated to some murderous behavior of the townspeople themselves. You can Read Werewolf unmasked.
Anything for Jackson (2020)
Stars: Julian Richings, Sheila McCarhty, Konstantina Mantelos. Directed by Justin G. Dyck. Written by Keith Cooper. (1h 37m)
Genres: occult, grief, psychological horror, ghosts, comedy, winter
In this dark comedy with a sentimental touch, Dr. Henry Walsh and his wife Audrey desperately want their dead grandson back. Therefore they kidnap a young pregnant woman named Shannon and try to transfer Jackson’s soul into the unborn baby with an occult ritual.
With dark humor, gore, scary ghosts, and themes like grief and loss, this is a great blend of horror that results in a unique vibe. The story takes place during the winter which gives an opportunity for both comical scenes, try burying a body in the frozen ground, and gory scenes, blood splattering all around is more visual in the snow. It also is a great plot device, because nobody is outside and Henry and Audrey can freely perform their plan. But snow won’t cover up their deeds. You can Read my Full Review.
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Did you know I also make Art & Designs.
This Wintry design of an Eyes Cold Snowman is made with soft pastels. You can buy this design on a Unisex Sweater and other apparel in my shop at Printify.
The Deeper You Dig (2019)
Stars: Toby Poser, Zelda Adams, John Adams. Directed by Toby Poser, Zelda Adams, John Adams. Written by Toby Poser, John Adams. (1h 35m)
Genres: surrealism, ghosts, supernatural, grief, winter
Ivy and her 14-year-old daughter Echo have a good relationship. When Echo gets hit by a car by the new neighbor he has taken her to his home to bury her. But Echo haunts him and wants him to tell her mother what he did. While Ivy uses her psychic abilities to find her, Echo gets inside Kurt’s head. Both mother and daughter are on a search to make it back to each other. Which leads to a twisted ending.
It’s a very intimate and quite film with surreal scenes and symbolism that emphasizes the bond between mother and daughter, their grief and loss and original revenge. You can Read my Full Review.
The Lodge (2019)
Stars: Riley Keough, Jaeden Martell, Lia McHugh. Directed by Severin Fiala, Veronika Franz. Written bySeverin Fiala, Veronika Franz, Sergio Casai. (1h 48m)
Genres: psychological horror, creepy kids, cults, gothic, winter
Grace and her fiancee Richard want to spend Christmas at an isolated lodge. Richard’s kids Aiden and Mia come along but they still struggle with the suicide of their mother and blame Grace. When she is left alone with them, a cruel game begins.
It’s a slow burn, but very atmospheric. The snow-covered landscape is beautiful but haunting all on its own. It has an ominous and foreboding atmosphere, which is enhanced by the beautiful but eerie shots and the isolation. Then strange things start to happen and Grace herself feels like an unreliable narrator. It’s a dark and bleak film, both the cold nature outside as the cruel human nature inside are on display. You can Read my Full Review.
The Blackcoat’s Daughter/ February (2015)
Stars: Emma Roberts, Kiernan Shipka, Lucy Boynton. Directed & written by Osgood Perkins. (1h 33m)
Genres: occult, psychological horror, demon, mystery, winter
We follow three young women during the cold winter break. Kat and Rose stay at the boarding school during winter break while Joan tries to get there. The three women are all connected and the mystery and the horror of what’s about to happen is slowly unfolding into an occult terrifying tale.
It’s an intriguing film with beautiful shots in the snow and uncanny ominous shots inside in front of the furnace. The behavior of Kat is very disturbing but the story is subtly told. It’s a perfect tale for the winter, that is quiet and elusive but also a disturbing mystery that unravels slowly into violent bloody kills. It’s a film that the less you know the better it is and to just let it all unfold. You can Read my Full Review.
Crimson Peak (2015)
Stars: Mia Wasikowska, Jessica Chastain, Tom Hiddleston. Directed by Guillermo del Toro. Written by Guillermo del Toro, Matthew Robbins. (1h 59m)
Genres: gothic, supernatural, ghosts, winter
Edith Cushing falls for the English Baron Sir Thomas. He takes her to England, to Crimson Peak. A place the ghost of her mother warned her about when she was a little girl. The place is beautiful but Edith’s health deteriorates and she’s trapped.
This gothic tale has a beautiful setting, a snow white landscape, an enormous castle and a ghostly warning. There’s the villains, the visions, the symbolism, a romance, and of course the hero who saves the damsel in distress who thinks she’s going mad.
With a beautiful backdrop of a white landscape, and a thick layer of snow that adds to a feeling of isolation, this film is for gothic lovers who want a ghostly winter tale.
Continue reading below this announcement.
Did you know I also make Art & Designs.
This design of a Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer Skull is made with pen and alcohol markers. You can buy this design on a Postcard and other products and on other various apparel in my shop at Redbubble.
The Visit (2015)
Stars: Olivia DeJonge, Ed Oxenbould, Deanna Dunagan, Peter McRobbie. Directed & written by M. Night Shyamalan. (1h 34m)
Genres: mystery, creepy old people, dysfunctional family, psychological horror, found footage/mockumentary, winter
Becca and Tyler go visit their grandparents for the first time. Becca has decided to film their stay for a documentary. She desperately wants to know why her mother and her grandparents fell out all those years ago. But the behavior of Nana gets stranger and stranger. Even a bit scary and Becca doesn’t trust it’s just sundowning. So she decides to hide several cameras to watch them. The truth might be far more disturbing than they could have ever imagined.
With some scary moments that are mostly more disturbing than terrifying, a lot of humor from Tyler and the serious inquiry from Becca, set in the snow, this film is very entertaining and a bit creepy at the same time. You can Read my Full Review.
We Are Still Here (2015)
Stars: Andrew Sensenig, Barbara Crampton, Larry Fessenden, Lisa Marie. Directed & written by Ted Geoghegan. (1h 24m)
Genres: splatter punk, grief, ghosts, the seventies, supernatural, winter
After Paul and Anne lost their son Bobby, they move to New England in the winter of 1979 to deal with their grief. Anna thinks that they have taken the ghost of Bobby with them, after some strange incidents at the house. After a neighbor’s warning and a seance, things quickly turn sinister which results in a splatter punk ending.
It starts out intimate dealing with grief and loss, but soon the dark humor takes over. With great characters, nasty ghosts and evil neighbors the snowy landscape will turn red. You can Read my Full Review.
The Dyatlov Pass Incident/ Devil’s Pass (2013)
Stars: Holly Goss, Matt Stokoe. Directed by Renny Harlin. Written by Vikram West. (1h 40m)
Genres: found footage/mockumentary, creatures, science fiction, winter
Based on a true expedition in 1959 led by Igor Dyatlov, Holly is determined to make a documentary about the incident with film maker Jenson, sound technician Denise and guides Andy and JP. At the pass they find some disturbing things and a bunker buried in the snow. When an avalanche hits them and they are attacked by two men, they have to find refuge inside the bunker. There they find hidden secrets and something supernatural that will change their lives.
This found footage is shot in Russia and they are surrounded by a snow white landscape. In the snow creatures are hiding and hunting. It has a slow start but the horror picks up inside the bunker. Pay attention to the glitches in the footage. And prepare for a surprising twist. You can Read my Full Review.
Dead Snow (2009)
Stars: Charlotte Frogner, Jenny Skavlan, Geir Vegar Hoel, Stig Frode Henriksen. Directed by Tommy Wirkola. Written by Tommy Wirkola, Stig Frode Henriksen. (1h 32m)
Genres: zombies, slasher, splatter punk, comedy, winter
In Norway, seven medical students go to celebrate Easter vacation in the mountains in the snow. They are welcomed by a horde of zombie nazi’s who want back what they have stolen in WOII.
It’s a splatter punk comedy with zombies who are anything but brain dead and know exactly what they are doing and are enjoying it. While the students try to stay alive, they have to run, hide and fight with bloody gory and funny mayhem as a result. There are some inventive fights, with dark humor. It’s all a bit over the top and the ending is either a hit or a miss, depending on your taste and mood.
Continue reading below this announcement.
Did you know I also make Art & Designs.
This Wintry design of an Evil Snowman Bauble is made with soft pastels. You can buy this design on a Unisex Sweater and other apparel in my shop at Threadless.
The Children (2008)
Stars: Hannah Tointon, Eva Birthistle, Stephen Campbell Moore, Jeremy Sheffield, Rachel Shelley. Directed by Tom Shankland. Written by Paul Andrew Williams, Tom Shankland. (1h 24m)
Genres: slasher, eco horror, creepy kids, winter
Two families are celebrating Christmas in the country side. But then the youngest kids get sick. First they think it’s just the flue, but they start behaving in a strange way. Soon the snow white landscape is colored red.
It’s a simple premise, but the execution is rather creepy and has a disturbing atmosphere. The families are already struggling to keep things nice and cosy, and a virus isn’t helping. The atmosphere takes a turn and the beautiful wintry county side shots are suddenly a scene where fun in the snow can turn into a nightmarish horror. The kills are brutal especially done by a child and the parents are clueless of what’s happening and powerless, because who wants to hurt their own child. You can Read my Full Review.
30 Days of Night (2007)
Stars: Josh Harnett, Melissa George, Danny Huston. Directed by David Slade. Written by Steve Niles, Stuart Beattie, Brian Nelson. (1h 53m)
Genres: vampires, survival, winter
The town of Barrow lies in the most northern part of Alaska. Every year it will be dark for 30 days in Barrow. Most townspeople leave for Anchorage while a small group stays behind. A group of vampires cuts them off completely from the outside world by killing their huskies, stealing their cell phones, and cutting off the power leaving those who stayed behind even more vulnerable. A small group of people have to hide and survive for 30 days.
During the pitch black, the cold and the snow and the isolation it’s a fight for survival with a lot of bloody kills and gore. You can Read my Full Review.
Wind Chill (2007)
Stars: Emily Blunt, Ashton Holmes. Directed by Gregory Jacobs. Written by Joe Gangemi, Steven Katz. (1h 31m)
Genres: ghosts, drama, mystery, winter
A Girl, gets a ride from college to Delaware by a Guy. After a pit stop at a gas station, Guy turns off the highway and takes an alternate route. The road is heavily packed with snow and when an oncoming car drives them off the road, they get hurt and the car is stranded in a bank of snow. They have to wait for help, while ghostly appearances dwell this doomed road and the snow keeps falling.
Set in the snow, the darkness of the night, the isolation, the cold and not much hope of being rescued, surrounded by apparitions, this is a slow burn ghostly tale with an intimate but dreadful atmosphere, a tragic dark past and a tragic ending.
Curtains (1983)
Stars: John Vernon, Samantha Eggar. Directed & written by Richard Ciupka Jr. (1h 29m)
Genres: slasher, winter
Director Jonathan Stryker invites 6 young actresses and a veteran actress to his house for an audition. The competition is fierce and as he sets them up against each other, a killer in an old hag mask starts to kill the competition.
It’s a very toxic story, about power abuse by a man, but not meant as a social commentary. The kill scenes are good, especially the one on the ice, where ice skating is involved and where also a creepy doll plays a dubious part and the scene in the prop shed is a great thrilling scene as well. This slasher is set in a snowy cold winter environment, cutting them off even more from the normal world.
Did you know I also make Art & Designs.
This painting “Floating” is made with soft pastels. You can buy this fine art print on museum-quality paper in my shop at Printify. Take a look at my other art prints as well.
Ghostkeeper (1982)
Stars: Riva Spier, Murray Ord, Sheri McFadden. Directed by Jim Makichuk. Written by Jim Makichuk, Doug Macleod. (1h 29m)
Genres: psychological horror, creature, winter
Jenny, Marty and Chrissy are driving around on snowmobiles in the Canadian mountains celebrating New Year’s. When a snowstorm is coming they take shelter in hotel The Deer Lodge, which didn’t have any guest in over 5 years. But it isn’t abandoned. A strange old woman lives there with her son and there’s someone in the basement, and they are hungry.
The film is full with snowy mountains, and a snowstorm causes them to be trapped inside, isolated from their other friends and confronted with each other. This film has some good winter chills, without much gore, but with a sense of terror and dread, not only coming from the Wendigo. You can Read my Full Review.
The Thing (1982)
Stars: Kurt Russel. Directed by John Carpenter. Written by Bill Lancaster, John W. Campbell Jr. (1h 49m)
Genres: aliens, body horror, science fiction, psychological horror, winter
MacReady works as a helicopter pilot in the Arctic at an American Research facility with a bunch of other men, they get to deal with an alien life form that spreads among them taken them over causing paranoia and a lot of body horror.
The isolation and the extreme cold add to the dreadful atmosphere. There’s nowhere to go in the freezing cold and civilization has never been further away. The cold is palpable as are the freezing circumstances which makes this film even more more dire and terrifying. Amongst the freezing cold, the snow and ice, there are a lot of practical effects and horrifying body horror. You can Read my Full Review.
The Shining (1980)
Stars: Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Danny Lloyd. Directed by Stanley Kubrick. Written by Stephen King, Stanley Kubrick, Diana Johnson. (2h 26m)
Genres: haunted house, dysfunctional family, ghosts, supernatural, possession, winter
Jack Torrance takes on a job as caretaker of the Overlook Hotel up in the mountains for the winter season when it’s closed to the public. Together with his wife Wendy and their little son Danny they have a whole hotel to themselves. But the hotel is haunted and is coming after Danny and his special gift. When winter falls and they get snowed in, all hell breaks loose.
Being isolated on a mountain in a huge hotel that is haunted by ghosts and where evil lives, doesn’t get any better when you are also snowed in and there’s no way out. While the threat comes from everywhere, even from inside the small family, the snowy scenes make it all the more dire and terrifying. With stunning cinematography the cold and isolation and trapped situation creates and terrifying atmosphere. You can Read my Full Review.
The Brood (1979)
Stars: Oliver Reed, Samantha Eggar, Art Hindle, Cindy Hinds. Directed & written by David Cronenberg. (1h 32m)
Genres: body horror, psychological horror, winter
Nola get an unconventional therapy called psychoplasmics, which expresses the emotions of the patients through their body. When child-sized creatures are on a killing spree, killing those who have hurt Nola, psychically or mentally and they eventually kidnap her daughter Candice. Frank must find out what’s happening to get his daughter back and when he discovers the truth it’s more disturbing than he ever could have imagined.
It is set in the winter and Candice is wearing a cute red ski outfit, just like all the other kids from her school who are wearing also colorful ski suits. But the creepy part is, so do these creatures, which make them look exactly like normal children, until you see their hideous faces. It’s a horrifying story, with gore and violence, disturbing body horror that deals with childhood trauma and repressed emotions. You can Read my Full Review.
Horror Express (1972)
Stars: Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing. Directed by Eugenio Martin. Written by Arnaud d’Usseau, Julian Zimet. (1h31m)
Genres: supernatural, mystery, occult, science fiction, possession, zombies, aliens, winter
In 1906, a train ride through the cold and snow turns into a horrible ordeal after Alexander Saxton takes a crate with a fossil of an apelike being on board. What he doesn’t know is that an alien parasite is hiding inside the fossil waiting for its chance to get out. When it does it starts to possess the passengers, kill them and causes mayhem. This results in some quite entertaining science fiction that easily blends with the occult and much more.
It’s a very original film that takes a luxurious train through a wintry scenery and turns it into a colorful romp of fun, a mashup of genres, a great cast and mayhem with a genuine seventies vibe. You can Read my Full Review.
The Abominable Snowman (1957)
Stars: Peter Cushing, Maureen Connell. Directed by Val Guest. Written by Nigel Kneale, Vale Guest. (1h 31m)
Genres: creatures, folklore, social commentary, winter
Dr. John Rollason, his scientist wife Helen and their assistant Peter Fox are in the Himalayas on a botanical expedition. While another group of three men, want to find and capture a legendary creature for money, John is in for scientific curiosity. When the Yeti actually shows up, things are about to get dire.
This Hammer film is in black-and-white and that doesn’t emphasize the snow, but it does have that classic feeling and a message that nature can best be left alone and that capitalism at all costs doesn’t end well. Fun part is that Helen acts as the savior and that John is the damsel in distress. It’s a great wintry classic where you get treated to Yetis played by men in suits, which creates always a very nostalgic feeling.
Explore more lists of Horror Films:
- The List of Christmas Horror Films
- The List of Creepy Dolls in Horror Films
- The List of Halloween Horror Films
- The List of Summer Horror Films
Did You Know I Also Make Art and Designs?
you can buy my designs on apparel or stationary, mugs and more. You can learn more about it on my art & design shop page or go directly to one of my shops.