John Carpenter Reveals There's a 'Hint' About Who Turns Into The Thing — And This Fan May Have Worked the Whole Thing Out

Part of the magic of John Carpenter’s legendary 1982 sci-fi fearfulness movie The Thing is that the ending is near ambiguous. For the past 43 years, fans person wondered whether R.J. MacReady, played by Kurt Russell, oregon Childs, played by Keith Davis, turns into the movie’s cardinal monster astatine the end, but Carpenter intentionally near fans guessing with perfectly nary clues to however things shook down — until now.

The maestro of fearfulness revealed to Parasite and Mickey 17 manager Bong Joon Ho astatine a peculiar 4K screening of The Thing astatine the David Geffen Theater successful Los Angeles connected March 22 that determination is simply a “giant hint” successful the mediate of the movie reveals who yet turns into The Thing astatine the extremity of the film. He went connected to gag that helium would uncover that coveted cognition to anyone who sent an undisclosed sum of wealth “in an envelope to my house.”

Carpenter besides told the assemblage that the actors themselves didn’t adjacent cognize who would yet extremity up becoming The Thing. “They had nary clue,” helium admitted. “But they had to play it human, you see. The carnal imitates perfectly. It could beryllium 1 of us, it could beryllium idiosyncratic successful the audience, and there’s nary mode of telling. So I knew, they didn’t know.”

As for the hint itself, indie manager Joe Russo (not MCU favourite Joe Russo) unleashed his mentation connected the satellite via X / Twitter pursuing the screening. “I deliberation I recovered that hint,” Russo wrote.

Russo noted that MacReady is told astir the conception that the carnal tin replicate astatine the cellular level, which means that, for their safety, they should lone beryllium eating oregon drinking things that they unsocial person had interaction with. Despite knowing this important detail, MacReady shares his liquor with Childs astatine the extremity of the film. This could perchance mean MacReady conscionable forgot what helium was told, but successful Russo’s mentation it much apt means helium is, successful fact, The Thing. "As soon arsenic Childs drinks from the bottle, The Thing has won,” Russo says. “It’s beaten its astir skeptical, last threat.”

Of course, the brilliance of Carpenter’s movie is that it ends earlier immoderate of that is confirmed. But Russo offered further supporting evidence. He noted the past enactment of the movie — "Why don't we conscionable hold present for a small while, spot what happens?" — is precise apropos to the concern if MacReady has already go The Thing. The filmmaker’s thread besides has an mentation for the infinitesimal we spot MacReady termination The Thing: “[Did you spot that] OR… did you ticker a BETTER imitation termination a POORER imitation due to the fact that it had a amended accidental of infiltrating nine upon rescue."

Some fans were decidedly swayed by the theory, portion others were stuck connected the conception that Childs is the 1 who becomes the creature. "I inactive deliberation it’s Childs due to the fact that we don’t cognize his whereabouts for a agelong clip heading into the last scene. But Keith David volition archer you he’s 100% not The Thing," 1 instrumentality added to the thread. Russo replied: "Carpenter said some actors don't know... Childs ever felt similar a reddish herring to me."

Either way, it’s decidedly a mentation worthy considering. Carpenter inactive manages to astonishment and delight fans each these years later, and we’re fortunate to inactive beryllium getting bits and pieces of his wisdom.

Lex Briscuso is simply a movie and tv professional and a freelance amusement writer for IGN. You tin travel her connected Twitter astatine @nikonamerica.