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*, centers around 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 has masterfully kept fans guessing without any definitive clues—until now.

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 film that reveals who turns into The Thing at the end. In a humorous twist, Carpenter jokingly suggested he would reveal this secret to anyone who sent him 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' fates. "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 hint. Russo pointed out that MacReady is informed about the creature's ability to replicate at the cellular level, implying that for safety, characters should only consume what they have personally handled. Yet, MacReady shares his liquor with Childs at the film's end. This could suggest MacReady forgot the advice, but Russo argues it more likely indicates that MacReady is The Thing. "As soon as Childs drinks from the bottle, The Thing has won," Russo stated. "It’s beaten its most skeptical, final threat."

Carpenter's film cleverly ends without confirming this, preserving the mystery. Russo further supported his theory by analyzing the film's final line, "Why don't we just wait here for a little while, see what happens?" which aligns well with the scenario if MacReady is The Thing. Additionally, Russo speculated about the scene where MacReady kills The Thing, suggesting it might be "a BETTER imitation kill[ing] a POORER imitation because it had a better chance of infiltrating society upon rescue."

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Russo's theory has garnered attention and debate among fans. Some were convinced by his analysis, while others still believe Childs is the one who becomes The Thing. "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 which theory you subscribe to, it's clear that Carpenter continues to captivate and intrigue audiences even decades later, offering fresh insights and keeping the mystery alive.