Move overNobody’sBob Odenkirk, a new unexpected hero emerges in the first trailer for a “riveting” new action thriller. Acclaimed actressEmma Thompsoncan be seen in so many different productions,from major films to television showsand on stage. The two-time Academy Award winner snagged the prestigious award in 1992 for Best Actress inHowards Endand, in 1995, she won for Best Adapted Screenplay forSense and Sensibility.While those productions established her as a star in Hollywood, younger supporters know her as Professor Sybill Patricia Trelawney ina few of theHarry Potterfilms. Throughout her career, Thompson has starred in comedies, dramas, and more, portraying each character with the same fire. In her latest film,Dead of Winter, the actress is in survival mode, not just for herself, but for a kidnapped young woman.
Dead of Winterstars Thompson as a grief-stricken loner who gets hit by a blizzard, eventually becoming lost among backroads near a Minnesota lake. The only sign of help comes from aremote cabin in the woods. However, the character finds more than assistance. Here she discovers a young woman (Laurel Marsden) kidnapped by a desperate couple (Judy Greer, Marc Menchaca) who are armed and intent on murder. You can check out the newly released trailer and official synopsis forDead of Winterbelow.
A grief-stricken loner (Emma Thompson) caught in a brutal Minnesotan blizzard discovers a young woman imprisoned by a desperate armed couple, forcing this unlikely hero into a dangerous fight for her and the victim’s survival.
In the two-minute and twenty-three-second trailer, viewers sense Thompson’scharacter’s urgency in fightingfor not only her life, but the young woman’s, too. It starts with explaining why she traveled to Minnesota in the first place. The trailer opens with a car driving on a snow-filled road, and then cuts to Thompson holding a photo of her and someone named Carl, who died. Viewers can hear a voice say, “Carl had an unusual request. He wanted his ashes to be scattered up North.” While she’s grieving with the box of ashes, Thompson hears a single gunshot…and everything changes.
Thompson tries to call for help on a radiophone, but there’s no service. That’s when shetakes matters into her own hands, putting her life in danger in the process.Dead of Winteris distributed by Vertical and will be released on July 25, 2025, after having its world premiere in the Piazza Grande section of the 78th Locarno Film Festival in early August. The action thriller is directed by Brian Kirk (who directed episodes ofGame of Thrones) and written by Nicholas Jacobson-Larson and Dalton Leeb. Gaia Wise, Lloyd Hutchinson, and Brían F. O’Byrne also star.
Dead of Winterwas first announced back in 2023, with the Brian Kirk-helmed action thriller project initially being calledThe Fisherwomanwith Thompson, Judy Greer, and Laurel Marsden playing the lead roles. In March 2025, the title was changed to its current name with Vertical, an independent film distribution company, acquiring the distribution rights. Several glowing reviews forDead of Winterhave now emerged, with critics heaping praise on Thompson’s captivating lead performance and Greer’s chilling villain.
Dead of Winter
