John Carpenter Hints at 'The Thing' Identity, Fan Solves Mystery

The enduring allure of John Carpenter's iconic 1982 sci-fi horror film, *The Thing*, lies in its deliberately ambiguous ending. For 43 years, fans have speculated about the fates of R.J. MacReady, portrayed by Kurt Russell, and Childs, played by Keith David, wondering which of them transforms into the film's central monster. Carpenter masterfully left the audience in suspense, providing no definitive 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 a surprising insight: there is a "giant hint" embedded in the middle of the film that hints at who becomes The Thing by the end. In a playful twist, Carpenter jokingly offered to 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 themselves were kept in the dark about the true identity of The Thing. "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 (distinct from the MCU's Joe Russo) took to X / Twitter to share his interpretation of the hinted clue. Russo pointed out that MacReady is informed of the creature's ability to replicate at a cellular level, suggesting that for safety, they should only consume items they've personally handled. Yet, at the film's conclusion, MacReady shares his liquor with Childs, a move that could imply MacReady has forgotten this vital information or, as Russo theorizes, that MacReady himself is The Thing. "As soon as Childs drinks from the bottle, The Thing has won," Russo asserts. "It's beaten its most skeptical, final threat."

The brilliance of Carpenter's film is that it leaves this ambiguity intact, ending before any transformation is confirmed. 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?" This line, he argues, fits perfectly if MacReady has already become The Thing. Russo's thread also speculates on the scene where MacReady seemingly kills The Thing, suggesting, "[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 one who turns into 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 on the thread. Russo responded, "Carpenter said both actors don't know... Childs always felt like a red herring to me."

Regardless of the ongoing debates, Carpenter's ability to captivate and intrigue fans decades after the film's release is a testament to his genius. The continued discussions and theories around *The Thing* highlight the film's lasting impact and Carpenter's enduring influence in the realm of horror cinema.