John Carpenter Hints at 'The Thing' Identity, Fan Solves Mystery

The allure of John Carpenter’s iconic 1982 sci-fi horror film, The Thing, lies in its enigmatic ending. For over four decades, fans have debated whether R.J. MacReady, portrayed by Kurt Russell, or Childs, played by Keith David, transforms into the film's titular monster. Carpenter deliberately left this mystery unresolved, but a recent revelation has sparked new discussions.

At a special 4K screening of The Thing at the David Geffen Theater in Los Angeles on March 22, Carpenter shared with director Bong Joon Ho that there is a "giant hint" embedded in the film that points to who becomes The Thing at the end. In a playful twist, he added that he would disclose this secret to anyone willing to send an undisclosed sum of money "in an envelope to my house." Carpenter also revealed that the actors were kept in the dark about their characters' fates, emphasizing the creature's ability to perfectly mimic humans. "They had no clue," he said. "But they had to play it human, you see. The creature imitates perfectly. It could be one of us, it could be somebody in the audience, and there’s no way of telling. So I knew, they didn’t know."

Following the screening, indie director Joe Russo (not to be confused with the MCU's Joe Russo) shared his theory on X/Twitter, suggesting he had uncovered the hinted clue. Russo pointed out that MacReady learns the creature can replicate at a cellular level, advising that only items they've personally handled are safe. Despite this knowledge, MacReady shares his liquor with Childs at the film's end. Russo theorizes that this act could imply MacReady has already become The Thing, as sharing the bottle could be a strategic move to infect Childs. "As soon as Childs drinks from the bottle, The Thing has won," Russo asserts. "It’s beaten its most skeptical, final threat."

While Carpenter's film masterfully leaves this confirmation unaddressed, Russo provides additional support for his theory. He references the film's final line, "Why don't we just wait here for a little while, see what happens?" suggesting it aligns with MacReady's transformation. Russo also speculates on the scene where MacReady destroys a Thing, proposing it might be "a BETTER imitation kill a POORER imitation because it had a better chance of infiltrating society upon rescue."

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The theory has divided fans. Some find it compelling, while others remain convinced that Childs is the one who becomes the creature. One fan argued, "I still think it’s Childs because we don’t know his whereabouts for a long time heading into the final scene. But Keith David will tell you he’s 100% not The Thing." Russo responded, "Carpenter said both actors don't know... Childs always felt like a red herring to me."

Regardless of where one stands on the theory, Carpenter continues to captivate and engage fans with his insights, keeping the legacy of The Thing alive and thriving.