The enduring mystery of John Carpenter's iconic 1982 sci-fi horror film, *The Thing*, has captivated fans for 43 years. The film's ambiguous ending leaves viewers questioning whether R.J. MacReady, portrayed by Kurt Russell, or Childs, played by Keith David, transforms into the titular monster. Carpenter has masterfully kept fans guessing, providing no definitive answers—until a recent revelation at a special 4K screening of the film at the David Geffen Theater in Los Angeles on March 22. During the event, Carpenter shared with director Bong Joon Ho that there is a "giant hint" embedded within the movie that points to the true identity of The Thing at the film's conclusion. In a playful twist, Carpenter humorously suggested that he would disclose this secret to anyone willing to send him an undisclosed sum of money "in an envelope to my house."
Carpenter also revealed that even the actors were kept in the dark about their characters' fates. "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) shared his theory on X / Twitter, claiming to have identified the hint Carpenter mentioned. Russo points out that MacReady is informed about the creature's ability to replicate at a cellular level, emphasizing the importance of only consuming items they have personally handled. Yet, in the film's final scene, MacReady shares his liquor with Childs, suggesting, according to Russo, that MacReady might be The Thing. "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 the film's unresolved ending, but Russo provides additional evidence to support his theory. He references the last line of the film, "Why don't we just wait here for a little while, see what happens?" as particularly fitting if MacReady is indeed The Thing. Russo's thread also suggests an alternative interpretation of the scene where MacReady kills 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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The theory has sparked debate among fans. Some are convinced by Russo's interpretation, while others maintain that Childs is the true monster, citing his unexplained absence before the final scene. "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 argued. 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, it's clear that Carpenter continues to engage and intrigue fans decades after *The Thing*'s release, and we're fortunate to receive these tantalizing glimpses into his creative process.
