The enduring enigma of John Carpenter's 1982 sci-fi horror masterpiece, *The Thing*, lies in its ambiguous ending. For 43 years, fans have speculated whether R.J. MacReady, portrayed by Kurt Russell, or Childs, played by Keith David, transforms into the film's titular monster. Carpenter masterfully kept fans in the dark—until recently shedding light on a subtle clue during a special 4K screening of *The Thing* at the David Geffen Theater in Los Angeles on March 22.
During the event, Carpenter shared with director Bong Joon Ho that a "giant hint" hidden within the film's middle section points to the eventual transformation. In a playful twist, Carpenter suggested he'd reveal the secret to anyone who sent him an undisclosed sum of money "in an envelope to my house." He further disclosed that even the actors were left in the dark about their characters' fates. "They had no clue," Carpenter 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 (distinct from 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 only items he personally touched should be consumed. Yet, at the film's end, MacReady shares his liquor with Childs, which Russo interprets as a sign that MacReady might already be The Thing. "As soon as Childs drinks from the bottle, The Thing has won," Russo posits, suggesting MacReady's action indicates his transformation. "It’s beaten its most skeptical, final threat."
Carpenter's genius lies in leaving the film unresolved, yet Russo offers additional evidence supporting his theory. He highlights the film's final line, "Why don't we just wait here for a little while, see what happens?" as fitting if MacReady is indeed The Thing. Russo's thread also proposes an alternative view on MacReady's confrontation with 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 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," a fan argued in the thread. Russo countered, "Carpenter said both actors don't know... Childs always felt like a red herring to me."
Regardless of which theory fans subscribe to, Carpenter's ability to keep audiences engaged and theorizing decades later is a testament to his storytelling prowess. His occasional revelations continue to captivate and thrill fans, ensuring *The Thing* remains a timeless piece of horror cinema.
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