From battling the undead to dodging aliens and diving into folk horror, Nick Frost is a bona fide legend of British genre cinema. With his latest turn in Black Cab steering him into seriously sinister territory, we’re taking a look back at five essential Nick Frost performances that defined his journey through the weird and wonderful world of horror-comedy.
Shaun of the Dead (2004)
Role: Ed
Vibe: Apocalyptic slackerdom with a side of Cornetto
This is where the legend began. As the endlessly quotable Ed in Edgar Wright’s now-iconic Shaun of the Dead, Frost delivered a masterclass in loveable layabout energy. Whether he’s spinning vinyl at zombies or demanding a pint at the Winchester, Ed became an instant cult hero. Plus, that ‘I got wood’ T-shirt? Legendary. This is the film that launched the Three Flavours Cornetto Trilogy — and Frost into genre stardom. We could put all three movies of Three Flavours Cornetto Trilogy in this list, but that would just be cheating wouldn’t it?
Attack the Block (2011)
Role: Ron
Vibe: High-grade weed and low-key heroics
Frost swapped the pub for the tower block in Joe Cornish’s alien invasion banger. Playing Ron, a local dealer with a suspiciously secure weed room, he’s the eye of the storm as extraterrestrial chaos erupts in the streets of South London. It’s sharp, stylish, and wildly inventive — and Frost provides just the right amount of comic relief amid the carnage. This one’s a modern cult classic, no question.
Slaughterhouse Rulez (2018)
Role: Woody Chapman
Vibe: Peace, love, and monstrous mayhem
Teaming up once again with long-time partner-in-chaos Simon Pegg, Frost co-produced and starred in this gory boarding school romp. Set in a posh academy with a deadly secret beneath its grounds (thanks, fracking), Slaughterhouse Rulez is part creature feature, part social satire. As conspiracy-loving stoner Woody, Frost leans into the madness with gusto — delivering laughs, paranoia, and a fair bit of blood spray.
Get Away (2023)
Role: Richard
Vibe: Scandi-folk horror meets comedy of terrors
A fresh twist on the folk horror genre, Get Away takes a family holiday and drenches it in dread. Co-written and produced by Frost, the film pairs him with the brilliant Aisling Bea as they navigate an eerie island getaway gone very, very wrong. Think Midsommar meets The Trip, but with a masked killer lurking in the woods. It’s smart, spooky, and deeply Frostian — sharp humour hiding under the horror hood.
Black Cab (2024)
Role: Ian the cabbie
Vibe: No laughs, all nightmare fuel
Strap in for Frost’s darkest role to date. In Black Cab, he ditches the wisecracks to become Ian — a deeply disturbed taxi driver with a terrifying agenda. When a young couple gets in for a late-night ride, things take a turn from awkward to absolutely horrifying. With icy tension and more than a few gut-punch twists, Black Cab proves Frost can play it straight — and seriously sinister.
Black Cab arrives on Blu-ray, DVD, and digital 7 April, courtesy of Acorn Media International. Just don’t accept a lift from anyone afterwards…
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