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*, has captivated fans for over four decades. 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 deliberately kept fans in suspense, offering 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 becomes The Thing at the end. In a playful twist, Carpenter quipped that he would disclose this secret to anyone willing to send an unspecified amount of money "in an envelope to my house."

Carpenter also revealed that 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) 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, suggesting that for safety, 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 could indicate MacReady is The Thing, as sharing the bottle might allow the creature to win by infecting Childs. "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 masterfully ends without confirming Russo's theory, maintaining its enigmatic allure. However, Russo provides additional support for his hypothesis, citing 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. He further speculates on the scene where MacReady kills The Thing, suggesting viewers might have witnessed "a BETTER imitation kill a POORER imitation because it had a better chance of infiltrating society upon rescue."

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The fanbase remains divided on Russo's theory. Some are convinced by the evidence, while others believe Childs is the creature, citing his unexplained absence before the final scene. A fan commented, "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." 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 adds a fascinating layer to the ongoing discussion about *The Thing*. Carpenter's ability to continue engaging and surprising fans after all these years is a testament to his genius, and we're fortunate to still receive glimpses of his insights.