The allure of John Carpenter's iconic 1982 sci-fi horror film, The Thing, lies partly in its enigmatic ending. For over four decades, fans have speculated about the fates of R.J. MacReady, portrayed by Kurt Russell, and Childs, played by Keith David, at the film's conclusion. Carpenter masterfully left the audience without clear answers—until a recent revelation. 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 a "giant hint" hidden in the middle of the film points to who transforms into The Thing at the end. In a playful twist, Carpenter quipped that he would divulge this secret to anyone who sent an undisclosed sum of money "in an envelope to my house."
Carpenter also disclosed that the actors were kept in the dark about their characters' true nature. "They had no clue," he admitted. "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 uncovered the hint Carpenter mentioned. Russo pointed out that MacReady learns the creature can replicate at the cellular level, implying that they should only consume what they have personally touched. Yet, at the film's end, MacReady shares his liquor with Childs. This act, according to Russo, suggests MacReady might have forgotten the rule or, more intriguingly, is already 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 film retains its brilliance by leaving these theories unconfirmed. However, Russo provides additional evidence, citing the final line of the film—"Why don't we just wait here for a little while, see what happens?"—as fitting if MacReady has indeed turned into 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 embraced Russo's theory, others remained convinced that Childs is the real monster. "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 where one stands on the theory, it's clear that Carpenter continues to captivate and engage fans years after the film's release, offering tantalizing glimpses into his creative process.
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