The enduring mystery of John Carpenter's iconic 1982 sci-fi horror film, *The Thing*, has captivated fans for 43 years, particularly the ambiguous ending where it remains unclear whether R.J. MacReady, portrayed by Kurt Russell, or Childs, played by Keith David, transforms into the film's titular monster. Carpenter deliberately left the conclusion open-ended, providing no definitive answers—until a recent revelation.
During 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 middle of the film that indicates who ultimately becomes The Thing. In a playful twist, Carpenter humorously suggested he would disclose this secret to anyone willing to send him an undisclosed amount of money "in an envelope to my house."
Carpenter also revealed that even the actors were kept in the dark about the true identity of The Thing. "They had no clue," he confessed. "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 learns the creature can replicate at the cellular level, advising that they should only consume items they've personally handled. Yet, at the film's end, MacReady shares his liquor with Childs. Russo theorizes that this act suggests MacReady might be The Thing, as sharing the bottle could mean the creature has already won by infecting its most formidable opponent. "As soon as Childs drinks from the bottle, The Thing has won," Russo asserts. "It’s beaten its most skeptical, final threat."
Carpenter's genius lies in leaving the film's conclusion unresolved, but Russo provides additional evidence to support his theory. He highlights the film's final line, "Why don't we just wait here for a little while, see what happens?" as particularly fitting if MacReady is already The Thing. Russo's thread also suggests an alternative interpretation of MacReady killing The Thing: "Did you see that OR… did you watch a BETTER imitation kill a POORER imitation because it had a better chance of infiltrating society upon rescue?"
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While some fans found Russo's theory compelling, others remained convinced that Childs is the one who turns into the creature. "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," one fan commented. Russo responded, "Carpenter said both actors don't know... Childs always felt like a red herring to me."
Regardless of the debate, Russo's theory offers a fresh perspective on Carpenter's classic, and it's a testament to the filmmaker's enduring ability to engage and surprise fans even decades later. We're fortunate to continue receiving these intriguing insights from Carpenter.
