14 Under-Loved Terrifying Wendigo In Movies, TV Series And Games – Explored

The wendigo is evil and cannibalistic spirit that may possess humans, according to Algonquian mythology. This fabled man-eating beast is said to arrive throughout the winter. Wendigos in movies all have one thing in common: they are all huge humanoid monsters with horrific looks. They feature sunken, glowing eyes and an emaciated body with a missing toe or finger in most cases. They scream and emit a horrible odor when they attack their prey. These monstrous animals have been used extensively in horror films and novels.

The directors and their special effects crew have utilized their imagination to create a variety of horrifying designs for wendigos that are entertaining to witness in theaters and at home. If you are a fan of Stephen King’s novels or film adaptations, you are familiar with these ghastly creatures. Fans of the TV show ‘Supernatural’ are no exception, and in today’s video, we will look at the 14 Most Terrifying Wendigo Horror Movies Of All Time.

Dark Was the Night (2014)

A crew of loggers goes missing in a forest near the little isolated settlement of Maiden Woods. Unable to reach them, the Foreman goes in search of them, only to find a logger’s severed arm. He is then brutally murdered in his truck by an unknown entity. Later in town, Sheriff Paul Shields and his new New York deputy, Donny Saunders, talk with farmer Ron, who swears that one of his precious horses has been stolen, yet without evidence of theft, it is presumed the horse just fled through an open gate.

Paul then departs to pick up his son Adam from his wife Susan, who no longer lives with him following the unfortunate death of their other son, Tim. That night, Adam sees a thing in the backyard, and when Paul investigates, he hears but does not see the gigantic creature in the trees. The following morning, Paul discovers enormous tracks in the snow surrounding his house that look to be from a two-legged animal with hooves.

Donny informs him that the footprints are throughout town, surrounding everyone’s residences. Following the footsteps into the woods, Paul and Donny see enormous claw marks on the trees where the footprints vanish.

Also known as “Monster Hunter” in the UK, “Dark Was the Night” is an American thriller film directed and produced by Jack Heller. Released in 2014 the movie is written by Tyler Hisel and it stars Canadian actor Kevin Durand, American actor and musician Lukas Haas, and Bianca Kajlich. Cinematographer Ryan Samul with his dramatically different filming styles throughout the film made the scenes look unique and wonderful.

The bright and bluish-tinted exposure of the film in contrast to the dark setting for the monster brings out the gripping fear, thrill, and suspense of the plot. The film has more or less a classic horror ending with an open route for a sequel. Shot in just 20 days, the film is a genuinely engaging wendigo flick with class apart special effects. In short, if you are a fan of wendigo creatures then this movie is your jam.

Wendigo (2001)

George is a high-strung professional photographer who is beginning to suffer from depression as a result of the pressures of his job at a Manhattan advertising firm. Needing to get away from the city, he and his wife Kim, as well as their 10-year-old son Miles, travel to Upstate New York to enjoy the winter vistas. George inadvertently strikes and seriously injures a deer who rushed onto the slippery road. After George stops to investigate the damage, he is met by an enraged local called Otis, who tells George that he and his other hunters had been pursuing the deer for some time.

A dispute erupts, leaving George frightened. When George and Kim arrive at their cabin, they realize that a dark and scary presence has taken control. When they stop at a market near the cabin the next day, a shopkeeper tells Miles about the legend of the Wendigo, a malformed beast from Native American tradition who transforms from a person to a horrible beast after participating in cannibalism.

The shopkeeper also informs him that the Wendigo possesses magical abilities as well as the capacity to change its appearance at a whim. Miles can’t help but suspect the Wendigo is involved with the terrible powers at work in the woods around the cottage.

Released to theatres on January 23, 2001 “Wendigo” is an American independent psychological horror film. The film was released for a short period and scored 1100 dollars on opening weekend. Directed and written by Larry Fessenden the spooky elements of the film revolving around supernatural forces have a deep and long-lasting impact on the audiences.

The build-up for the film is praiseworthy which takes a noticeable amount of runtime. With Patricia Clarkson and Jake Weber, acting has been one of the USPs of the film. The visualizations of the traditional horrific scenes are augmented with the effective brilliance of the cinematographer. Though the ending could have been better, the film does maintain an underlying depressing vibe which leaves a strong impact on all horror lovers.

Antlers (2021)

Frank Weaver operates a meth lab out of an abandoned mine in a tiny hamlet in central Oregon. Frank and an accomplice are assaulted by an unknown monster while his young son Aiden waits outside the mine in his pickup. Aiden gets assaulted by the beast while investigating weird noises. Frank and Aiden survive their encounter with the beast and return home, where their condition rapidly deteriorates.

Frank constructs a sealed chamber and insists Aiden’s elder brother Lucas keeps them confined at any cost. Three weeks later, Lucas is out and about in town, gathering roadkill and slaughtering small animals before bringing them home. Julia Meadows, Lucas’s teacher, is disturbed by Lucas’ unusual behavior and terrible paintings and tries to connect with the troubled youngster.

She suspects Lucas is being mistreated and becomes determined to save him, motivated by her childhood maltreatment at the hands of her mentally ill alcoholic father. Despite her brother Paul’s anxiety and school administrator Ellen Booth’s disparaging comments, Julia pursues her research into Lucas, finally visiting his shabby house and hearing weird sounds.

Directed by Scott Cooper Antlers is a supernatural horror film adapted from Antosca’s short story “The Quiet Boy” which was published in Guernica magazine in January 2019. The setting of the film vividly brings out the darkness of human lives and the supernatural forces. Despite being a horror movie about an unknown wendigo the film also centers around the struggles associated with the financial crisis of the poor. The cast has delivered some excellent performances, especially with Jesse Plemons playing the role of the Sheriff which is also his third consecutive sheriff role after American Made (2017) and Game Night (2018). The film’s aspect of incorporating the horrors of daily life into a wendigo flick is outstanding and is yet to be discovered. In a short span, the film is sure to develop a fan following.

Ravenous (1999)

During the Mexican–American War, Second Lieutenant John Boyd of the United States Army loses his bravery in combat and in an act of cowardice, pretends to be dead while his battalion is butchered. His apparent ‘bravery’ gains him a captain’s promotion, but when General Slauson learns of the cowardice that led to victory, he exiles Boyd to Fort Spencer, a distant military outpost high in the Sierra Nevada overseen by the tired but humorous Colonel Hart and manned by a motley crew of misfits.

Soon after Boyd joins the garrison, a frostbitten stranger called Colquhoun comes, recounting a harrowing story of how his wagon train became lost in the mountains because Colonel Ives promised the group a speedier path to the Pacific Ocean but took them on a more tortuous route, trapping the group in snow for three months.

Colqhoun and his fellow travelers were driven to cannibalism as a result of famine, and he claims Ives resorted to murder. A rescue mission is formed to locate any survivors and apprehend Ives. George tells people departing about the Wendigo myth, which states that anybody who consumes the flesh of their opponents gains their power but becomes a demon cursed with an insatiable thirst for more human flesh.

Directed by Antonia Bird “Ravenous” is a 1999 horror Western cannibal film that is schizophrenic, horrific, funny, and doesn’t follow any conventional genre rules. The film in its early stage successfully establishes a cold and menacing tone and smartly overcomes typical vampirism by using cannibalism where one transforms into a wendigo-like creature after consuming human flesh. It is more like the same food but with a new dressing. The film was offbeat from commercial horror flicks and despite failing at the box office it became one of the ultimate modern cult films. The wendigo does not directly appear in the movie but its eerie presence is what makes it to this list. This film is sure to amaze all horror movie lovers and is a must-watch.

The Retreat (2020)

The Retreat begins with two friends, Gus and Adam, who set off on a hiking trek for Adam’s bachelor party where they are warned about the advent of the Wendigo. Gus can’t remember what occurred during the night, except for the fact that he finds Adam dead. After a terrifying encounter with the monster, Gus finds himself alone and disoriented. Now, he must combat the deadly Native American legend, The Wendigo, for his life and sanity. Gus gets caught up in attempting to recall, with a Therapist trying to persuade him to open up about the truth before it’s too late, revealing a truth that Gus may not want to talk about.

Written and directed by Bruce Wemple, “The Retreat” revolves around two guys facing the torments of a wendigo creature during their winter trip to the Adirondack High Peaks of upstate New York. It is an American horror film where the prime antagonist is a wendigo. The overpowering nature of the creature is well demonstrated in the first distressing encounter in the woods and to say the least, it is extremely thrilling and enjoyable to watch on screen. The plot of the film might seem a bit confusing as it goes back-and-forth through several timelines trying to stitch all of them to explain how the trip of two friends went all bizarre.

To suit this narrative Wemple has done some good work setting different tones between the different sections of the storylines by changing the cinematic styles and together with the background score he was successful in bringing out the vibe of fear and confusion that he wanted. Getting back to the ghoulish beast, the design of the creature is phenomenal and the movie consists of some bloody attacks which will strike the right chord of fear in you.

Frostbiter: The Wrath Of The Wendigo (1995)

The plot revolves around a group of friends and strangers forced to defend themselves in an isolated mountain house from a creature known as the Wendigo. It all starts when a couple of rednecks kill the Guardian by mistake.

The Guardian was a guy dressed in a hideous old man mask who was in charge of keeping the Wendigo at bay. With him dead, the couple let it go by shattering a mystical circle of skulls. This monster has the power to shape-shift into a variety of various shapes, resulting in a great deal of ‘hilarity’ and terrible carnage. Survival appears to be impossible until a young lady appears, claiming to be “the chosen one” with the power to defeat the Wendigo.

Directed by Tom Chaney Frostbiter: Wrath of the Wendigo is an independent comedy horror film by Troma Entertainment. Despite having a plot similar to that of Evil Dead the film has the requisite elements for a horror enthusiast. In simpler terms, the movie is like a delightful revisit to familiar territory. Even with low-budget effects, the movie has adequate gore with the wendigo killings. The movie is a decent wendigo horror film and a good watch for ardent horror followers.

The Last Winter (2006)

KIK Corporation, an American oil corporation, is constructing an ice road to explore the vast northern Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in search of energy independence. In a type of arrangement with the government, independent environmentalists collaborate in a drilling base led by Ed Pollack, reviewing procedures and submitting reports on the operation.

A nice football game outside the housing area is disrupted when environmental scientist Elliot collides with rookie oil worker Maxwell, resulting in Elliot’s bleeding nose. Maxwell is startled that night when he sees a haunting herd of Caribou galloping by the camp; the frightening sight of the ghostly creatures frightens him.

When a team member is discovered dead nude on the snow, environmentalist James Hoffman fears that gases from the drill site were accidentally discharged, causing hallucinations and insanity in the group. Following a second deadly occurrence, he persuades Ed to accompany the team to a hospital for inspection, but people continue to die.

The 2006 horror film “The Last Winter” is a logical progression of Larry Fessenden’s recurring man vs nature theme. The attack of the mysterious wendigo-like creature symbolizes the wrath of nature in response to man’s infliction of never-ending damage to the environment. The movie premiered in The Contemporary World Cinema Programme at the 2006 Toronto International Film Festival on September 11, 2006.

The theme is even-handed and the way Fessenden combined horror and moral values on the environment is unique and commendable. Such a setting is not usually seen in horror flicks. Despite having its base on environmental issues the horror aspect of the film is not compromised. The creature is terrifying and there are moments of terror and thrill which are pretty effective for a horror film. The plot has a slow build-up which might be a note for the critics but is sure enough to get Fessenden new fans.

Wendigo Episode – Supernatural [Season 1 Ep 2]

Sam and Dean travel to the Blackwater Ridge along with the coordinates their father wrote in his diary after spending a week in Palo Alto seeking the creature that killed Jessica. Ranger Wilkinson at the Lost Creek Trail Ranger Station misidentifies the boys as friends of Haley Collins, the sister of Tommy Collins, a youngster who went missing while on a camping trip. Sam and Dean pay a visit to Haley on a whim, and she shows them the final video Tommy gave her via cellphone before vanishing.

Sam conducts some investigation and discovers that individuals go missing in Blackwater after every 23 years. They travel to see Shaw, a survivor of an alleged bear assault in 1959, and the elderly man tells them that it was a thing that was smart enough to unlock the cabin door, screamed like no man or animal, and moved like lightning that killed his family. Sam and Dean know they are in the presence of a wendigo after consulting their father’s notebook.

American dark fantasy TV series Supernatural created by Eric Kripke had wendigo as their supernatural threat in Season 1 episode 2. It was responsible for the abduction of Tommy Collins. The episode was aired on September 20, 2005, and circulates the colorado wendigo that possessed abilities like voice mimicry along with other abilities like super strength, agility, and immortality. Directed by David Nutter the film picks up its high pace from the very beginning but shows the wendigo entity only at the end. The episode sets a good example for filmmaking and is a good watch.

Skin and Bones – Fear Itself TV Show

Grady, the owner of a remote property, and his pals went hunting in the chilly highlands. Rowdy, his brother, has been looking after the farm while Grady is away, along with Grady’s wife Elena and their two boys, Derek and Tim. Even as ten days have passed since the trip, no one has heard from the hunting team. The sheriff and rescue teams have suspended the search until the weather improves.

Rowdy is about to leave when he and Elena notice Grady limping towards the home. He runs out to rescue Grady, along with Eddie Bear, a Native American who lives with the family. He appears to be wounded and suffering from frostbite. When his family goes up to check on him, they realize that he doesn’t look the same as he used to. Rowdy and Eddie Bear are awakened at night by a weird howling noise outside and worried neighing coming from the horse stables. They look into it and discover that one of their horses has been butchered.

The next day, Eddie Bear approaches Grady with a knife and tells him about his uncle, who had vanished in the woods and reappeared weeks later, looking very much like Grady does now before murdering his own family. Later, Eddie Bear informs Rowdy that his uncle was possessed by a Wendigo and massacred his family before being shot down by police. Eddie Bear believes Grady has also been possessed and attempts to persuade Rowdy.

“Skin and Bones” is the eighth episode of the American horror-suspense anthology TV series “Fear Itself” directed by Larry Fessenden. It was the last episode of the series and was aired on NBC. The script has a few weak links but even with that what Fessenden made is commendable. Not to mention Doug Jones playing the role of Grady Edlund who did a phenomenal job. The fear aspect of the film is well brought out and overall it is a good watch

The Wendigo- Charmed [Season 1 Ep 12]

Piper has a flat tire and has requested assistance from Prue and Phoebe. Waiting in vain, Piper chooses to call the auto club, but her phone runs out of battery power. She notices a phone booth. She hears someone in the woods while heading to the phone booth. She dashes towards the booth and locks the door behind her.

A hairy beast assaults and infiltrates the booth. When a man appears and fires a flare pistol at the beast, it escapes. Meanwhile, Piper’s left arm appears to be scratched. Billy Waters, the man with the flare rifle, introduces himself to an injured Piper. Andy takes him to FBI Agent Fallon, who informs him of the beast. Billy tells the sisters about the monster, which killed his fiancée, Laura, by tearing out her heart. Andy is perplexed as to why Billy has a flare pistol; Billy explains that it appears to be terrified of fire. Piper checks the Book of Shadows and learns that the beast is known as a Wendigo.

Directed by James.L.Conway, “The Wendigo” is the twelfth episode of the American supernatural drama TV series ‘Charmed’ created by Constance M. Burge. It was originally aired in the United States on The WB. It was in this episode that one of the sisters, Piper, turns into something evil for the first time. The creature shown is very menacing and scary depicting a great work from the makeup department of the production. With pleasing guest appearances by Bill Jayne and Christina Milan, the episode is a pretty good one. The various aspects of the storyline worked exceptionally well and the tone of the episode is quite dark compared to the other episodes of the series. We highly recommend this episode to all horror lovers.

Pet Sematary (2019)

Louis Creed, an ER doctor from Boston, Massachusetts, relocates to the small hamlet of Ludlow, Maine, with his wife, Rachel, their two young children, Ellie and Gage, and Ellie’s favorite cat, Church, after being evicted from their house. Rachel and Ellie are exploring the woods when they come across a funeral procession of youngsters carrying a dead dog to a cemetery named “Pet Sematary.”

Church gets killed by a vehicle on Halloween. Jud Crandall, a neighbor who adores Ellie, drives Louis beyond the pet cemetery to an old burial place to bury Church. The following day, Louis is taken aback when Church returns home alive, but he is different: angry and violent, ripping apart a fowl and eating it alive. Jud tells Louis that the burial place brings things back from the dead and is said to be haunted by a spirit known as the Wendigo.

Based on Stephen King’s 1983 novel of the same name, “Pet Sematary” released in 2019 is the second adaptation after Mary Lambert’s in 1989. As stated by King this movie is a better representation of his novel than the previous one. The film grossed over 113 million dollars worldwide and received appreciation for its dark tone and phenomenal performances of the actors. Despite lacking the appearance of any fixed wendigo creature the movie makes it to the category because of the presence and influence of the unknown supernatural spirit called wendigo.

The entity transformed the dead into vicious and malicious beings. Though the plots are identical the latter scares more than the first adaptation. The display of balance between humor, drama, and horror along with the inner turmoil in the relationship of the seemingly ordinary couple is portrayed remarkably by directors Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer. Although the plot is known to all, this movie is worth a watch for its production and strong acting.

Devil in the Dark (2017)

Adam travels to Washington State to see his estranged brother Clint and rekindle their connection after fifteen years apart. Clint had always been their father, Glen’s favorite, and Adam is filled with anguish and despair about the same. The aim is to go on a hunting trip over the weekend to kill deer and solve their problems. They retreat as they come upon a cave encircled with deer antlers. However, they are being pursued and hunted by a strange entity, the Wendigo and the two brothers struggle for their survival.

Directed by Tim Brown and written by Carey Dickson, “Devil in the Dark” is a horror film revolving around a wendigo that torments two brothers during their hunting trip. The film has some good acting performances by Robin Dunne, Dan Payne, and Daniel Cudmore. The movie is not particularly terrifying but is enjoyable with some strong visuals and an excellent atmosphere throughout.

It has a slow start with a normal brotherly quarrel which is overpowered by a life and death situation. The visual effects are not that good with the design of the wendigo but the movie sure has some potential. The plot has a very tense and fear-gripping ending. With all these elements the movie is a must-watch and a treat for horror lovers.

The Ritual (2017)

Phil, Dom, Hutch, Luke, and Rob are five buddies who gather at a pub to organize a group vacation. Following that, Luke and Rob depart to buy booze, but they are interrupted by a heist in progress. The thieves murder Rob for not giving them his wedding ring. Six months later, in Rob’s memory, the surviving four embark on a trekking excursion along the Kungsleden in northern Sweden. When the gang enters the woodland, they see weird occurrences such as a gutted elk hanging from numerous branches and bizarre patterns engraved in the trees.

A violent rainfall drives them to seek refuge as night strikes. When they come across an abandoned cabin, they break in and spend the night. Inside, they discover bracelets with similar symbols as well as a statue made of twigs depicting a beheaded human body with antlers for hands. Luke has a nightmare about the heist during the night. The party awoke the next morning to discover Luke’s chest bleeding from weird puncture wounds and a nude Phil praying to the statue, all of them having experienced nightmares. They discover Hutch’s tent vacant and partially collapsed later that night.

The surviving three hurry deeper into the woods in pursuit of him, but by daybreak, they discover they’ve become disoriented and are unable to find their encampment. Hutch is found gutted and impaled by tree branches. Later, Phil is carried away by an unknown entity. They run and take shelter but are knocked unconscious. They wake up to find themselves captivated in a cellar and are being prepared for sacrifice by a woman.

Directed by David Bruckner and written by Joe Barton, “The Ritual” is a 2017 British horror film starring Rafe Spall, Arsher Ali, Robert James-Collier, and Sam Troughton. This male bonding horror flick displays the genius direction and successfully overshadows the loose ends of the plot. The entire film is atmospheric and several different elements are used to enhance the moments of fear like the rustling of leaves, lens flares, etc. The design of the wendigo-like monster is great and looks creepy. To sum it up, the production of the film is pretty decent but the plot could have been better. It’s better if watched in theatres as the effects and elements of fear can be experienced in a better manner.

Wendigos Of Until Dawn (Bonus)

‘Until Dawn’s ultimate adversaries are the Wendigos. They were people that had been turned into cannibalistic monsters after being possessed by the Wendigo spirit. The Makkapitew was looking for Hannah and Beth Washington the night they went missing. The Stranger was on the quest for the Wendigo, but he couldn’t save the two girls. Mike and Jess, who are being pursued on their trip to Washington Cabin, come across the first Wendigo.

After mutilating a deer, the Wendigo pursues the pair until they reach a cabin. The Wendigo continues to observe the pair and soon throws Jessica’s phone out the window. The Wendigo then drags Jess through the door’s window into an abandoned mining facility. The Wendigo leaves Jessica gravely hurt but she has the chance to make it alive if Mike moves swiftly. If he takes too long, the Wendigo will have enough time to rip Jessica’s lower jaw off, thus killing her. The Wendigo then lowers his gaze to Mike, allowing him enough time to fire.

The Wendigo is next confronted by Matt and Emily in the fire tower. It triggers the motion sensor and bangs on the hatchet in an attempt to gain access to the top of the tower. After Emily unsuccessfully attempts to flee the Stranger, a Wendigo appears behind him and immediately offers her flares to assist her and pushes her down a chute. The miner Wendigos follows Mike and the wolf across the Sanatorium’s Psychiatric Wing.

Sam and Mike both try to save Josh to obtain the cable car key and flee the mountain. They both discover the Wendigo’s lair, full of dead hanging bodies of the strangers, as, if they were slain outside the lodge.

Interactive drama survival horror adventure game developed by Supermassive Games, “Until dawn” has wendigos as their main antagonists. The game was published by Sony Interactive Entertainment for the PlayStation 4 and officially released worldwide in August 2015. The creators have done more than just a commendable job in developing this cinematic game.

A group of people staying at a resort on the mountains gets attacked by wendigos and every choice brings about a completely new path for the story. With each wrong choice or move, there can be a catastrophe of troubles. The wendigos are heinous and their designs are also quite scary. The sudden appearances from the attacking wendigos are terrifying and require the player to make split-second choices.

The game is like a movie unfolding and reaching its climax. The atmosphere of the game has a very dark setting and brings out the dread of the wendigos. This game is really scary and it is even entertaining to watch someone play as it appears just like a horror movie