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For horror that makes the cold part of the threat, Cheryl Eddy’s July 5, 2017 list runs from Antarctic creature features to snowbound comedies and psychological horror. Its top pick is John Carpenter’s The Thing (1982). The order below follows the original list; it is a historical watchlist, not a guide to what is streaming in 2026. Read the original io9/Gizmodo roundup.
18 cold-set horror films, in the original order
The list spans Antarctic research stations, winter roads, a ski lift and an isolated hotel. Not every film is straight horror: the selection also includes suspense, dark comedy and survival stories.
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Alien vs. Predator (2004)
A Weyland Corporation team heads to a frozen island off Antarctica and discovers an underground hunting arena used by the Predators.
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The Abominable Snowman (1957)
This Hammer film stars Peter Cushing and Forrest Tucker. Its Himalayan expedition story uses set-built scenes alongside mountain-location shots to suggest the remoteness of the setting.
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The Thing (2011)
This prequel takes place at a Norwegian Antarctic research base, where the creature is first encountered before the events of Carpenter’s film.
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Whiteout (2009)
Kate Beckinsale plays a U.S. Marshal investigating a murder in Antarctica. The roundup describes it as closer to a suspense thriller than horror, with isolation and harsh conditions shaping the story.
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The Children (2008)
A snowy Christmas family gathering turns dangerous when a virus makes the children violent.
Rank #2
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Ravenous (1999)
Set around 1850 at an icy military outpost in the Sierra Nevadas, this cannibalism story pairs bleak subject matter with dark comedy. Its cast includes Guy Pearce and Robert Carlyle.
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Dreamcatcher (2003)
Friends gather in snowy Maine in a story that mixes psychic connections, hostile aliens and gore. Morgan Freeman plays a villainous character.
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Jack Frost (1997)
This horror comedy stars Scott MacDonald as a serial killer transformed into a snowman. It is a different film from the 1998 family comedy starring Michael Keaton.
Rank #3
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30 Days of Night (2007)
Vampires descend on a small Alaska town during its extended polar night. The film originated as an IDW comic book.
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Wind Chill (2007)
An Emily Blunt road-trip story turns sinister when a student traveling home for Christmas takes a haunted highway shortcut in dangerous winter weather.
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Frozen (2010)
Three skiers are stranded on a lift before a snowstorm and face exposure and wolves. This is not the Disney film with the same title.
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Dead Snow (2009)
During a cabin trip in Norway, a group encounters Nazi soldiers reanimated in the snow. The roundup singles out the film’s deadpan humor and splatter-comedy approach.
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The Thing From Another World (1951)
This North Pole story is an earlier adaptation of John W. Campbell’s 1938 novella Who Goes There? Its monster and approach differ from Carpenter’s later version.
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Let the Right One In (2008)
In a Stockholm suburb, a bullied boy forms a bond with a vampire who appears to be a girl his age. The film is based on John Ajvide Lindqvist’s novel.
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Pontypool (2008)
A radio DJ and his crew are confined during a blizzard as an outbreak spreads through language. Tony Burgess adapted the film from his own novel.
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The Last Winter (2006)
Arctic oil drillers face deaths that may have natural or supernatural causes in this isolation story. The cast includes Ron Perlman, James LeGros and Connie Britton.
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The Shining (1980)
Jack Torrance takes a winter caretaker job at the isolated Overlook Hotel. The roundup highlights the combination of isolation, supernatural danger and the loss of an easy escape.
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The Thing (1982)
John Carpenter’s Antarctic story follows a shape-shifting alien threatening a research team. It is the roundup’s number-one pick and stated favorite, capped by the line: “First goddamn week of winter.”
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How the cold shapes these stories
The setting does more than supply snow and ice. Antarctic and Arctic stations isolate people from help; winter roads and ski lifts make exposure a direct danger; a snowbound town or hotel traps characters with a threat. That range also explains why the list’s tones vary: alongside creature features and serious isolation horror are vampire stories, suspense and dark comedy.
Keep the similarly titled films straight
Three entries can be easy to confuse: The Thing (1982), The Thing (2011) and The Thing From Another World (1951). The 2011 film is the prequel set at the Norwegian base; Carpenter’s 1982 film is the Antarctic shape-shifter story and the list’s top choice; the 1951 film is the earlier North Pole adaptation. The titles are related, but these are distinct films.
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