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

The enduring mystery of John Carpenter's iconic 1982 sci-fi horror film, The Thing, continues to captivate audiences 43 years later. The film's ambiguous ending has left fans debating whether R.J. MacReady, portrayed by Kurt Russell, or Childs, played by Keith David, transforms into the titular monster. Carpenter, the mastermind behind the film, has kept fans guessing without any definitive clues—until a recent revelation at a special 4K screening at the David Geffen Theater in Los Angeles on March 22.

During the event, Carpenter disclosed to director Bong Joon Ho that there's a "giant hint" embedded in the middle of the movie that points to who turns into The Thing at the end. In a humorous twist, he quipped that he'd share this secret with anyone willing to send him an undisclosed sum of money "in an envelope to my house." Carpenter also shared that even the actors were kept in the dark about their characters' fates, emphasizing the creature's ability to perfectly imitate 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) took to X / Twitter to share his theory about the hinted clue. Russo pointed out that MacReady is informed that the creature can replicate at the cellular level, meaning they should only consume items they've personally handled. Yet, MacReady shares his liquor with Childs at the film's end. Russo argues this act suggests MacReady might be The Thing, as sharing the bottle could allow the creature to win by infecting Childs. "As soon as Childs drinks from the bottle, The Thing has won," Russo stated. "It's beaten its most skeptical, final threat."

While Carpenter's film masterfully leaves the outcome open-ended, Russo provided additional evidence to support his theory. He highlighted the final line of the movie, "Why don't we just wait here for a little while, see what happens?" as fitting if MacReady has already transformed. Russo's thread also suggested an alternative interpretation of MacReady's apparent killing of The Thing, proposing it might have been a superior imitation eliminating a lesser one to better infiltrate society upon rescue.

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Fans have been divided over Russo's theory. Some find it compelling, while others believe Childs is the creature due to his unaccounted whereabouts before the final scene. A fan noted, "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 countered, "Carpenter said both actors don't know... Childs always felt like a red herring to me."

Regardless of the debate, Russo's theory adds a fascinating layer to the ongoing discussion about The Thing. Carpenter's ability to keep fans engaged and intrigued after all these years is a testament to his genius, and we're fortunate to continue receiving insights into his work.