When will Dead of Winter premiere? Release date, cast details and more

The highly anticipated action thriller Dead of Winter is set to bring chilling suspense to viewers this autumn. Directed by Brian Kirk and written by Nicholas Jacobson-Larson and Dalton Leeb, the movie has already created talk after its world premiere at the Locarno Film Festival.

Supported by a robust global production crew, Dead of Winter has been labeled as both an unsettling thriller and a people-oriented drama. Made by Stampede Ventures in association with Augenschein Filmproduktion and a number of European production houses, the film features bleak winter landscapes that enhance its themes of isolation and danger.

Dead of Winter premiered at the Locarno Film Festival on August 8, 2025, and will release in U.S. theaters on September 26, 2025, starring Emma Thompson, Judy Greer, Marc Menchaca, Laurel Marsden, and Brían F. O’Byrne.

---

When and where is Dead of Winter coming out?

The movie premiered on August 8, 2025, in the Piazza Grande section of the 78th Locarno Film Festival, where it played to a big international crowd under the stars. Following its festival launch, the film will expand nationwide in theaters across America on September 26, 2025, through Vertical.

At 98 minutes long, the film strikes a balance between crisp storytelling and gripping action sequences that keep viewers at the edge of their seats.

The film was initially greenlit in early 2024 with a working title of The Fisherwoman. Principal photography on the film commenced on February 26, 2024, in Koli, Finland, and took place at some locations in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.

Filming was completed by June 2024, and the title was officially changed to Dead of Winter in March 2025.

---

What happens in Dead of Winter and who stars in it?

Dead of Winter (Image Via Vertical)

At the center of Dead of Winter is Barb, played by Emma Thompson, a widow who is trying to come to terms with loss after her husband's death. She embarks on an emotional quest through icy Minnesota landscapes, intent on spreading his ashes over the lake where they spent their first date.

What becomes a very personal quest quickly turns into a struggle for survival when she discovers something much darker.

Barb's journey intersects with an enigmatic stranger, Marc Menchaca, whose strange behavior and questionable environment make instant questions leap to mind. What at first seems a pleasant accident turns out to feature a kidnapped young woman, Laurel Marsden.

Unreliable phone lines, inclement weather, and minimal resources are no match for Barb's refusal to turn away. Rather, she taps into her resilience and determination to free the captive, demonstrating herself to be a good deal more capable than people ever could have imagined.

Compounding the suspense is Judy Greer's chilling performance as the brains behind the kidnapping. Her Purple Lady is played with an explosive combination of menace and unpredictability, providing a scary foil to Thompson's realistic and resilient Barb. Brían F. O'Byrne also rounds out the cast as the Tall Hunter, adding even more danger to the threats surrounding Barb's quest.

The movie has an ensemble cast headed by Emma Thompson, who is warm yet tough as Barb. Thompson's real-life daughter, Gaia Wise, appears as the young version of Barb in flashbacks.

Judy Greer plays the deranged villain, while Marc Menchaca plays the character Camo Jacket. Laurel Marsden, playing Leah, is the unwitting victim whose tragic situation pushes the story forward. The supporting cast includes Brían F. O'Byrne, Lloyd Hutchinson, and a few others who add to the suspenseful progression of the narrative.

---

Dead of Winter is currently available to watch in theaters only.