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

The magic of John Carpenter's iconic 1982 sci-fi horror film, *The Thing*, lies in its ambiguous ending, which has left fans debating for the past 43 years. The mystery centers on whether R.J. MacReady, portrayed by Kurt Russell, or Childs, portrayed by Keith David, transforms into the film's titular monster. Carpenter intentionally crafted this uncertainty, providing no clear clues—until now.

During a special 4K screening of *The Thing* at the David Geffen Theater in Los Angeles on March 22, Carpenter shared a "giant hint" with director Bong Joon Ho. This hint, hidden in the middle of the film, supposedly reveals who becomes The Thing at the end. In a playful twist, Carpenter humorously suggested he'd reveal this secret to anyone sending him an undisclosed sum of money "in an envelope to my house."

Carpenter also disclosed that even the actors were kept in the dark about who would ultimately become The Thing. "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."

Indie director Joe Russo (not to be confused with the MCU's Joe Russo) shared his theory on X / Twitter following the screening. Russo believes he has identified the hint Carpenter mentioned. He points out that MacReady learns the creature can replicate at the cellular level, meaning they should only consume food and drink they've personally handled. Yet, at the film's end, MacReady shares his liquor with Childs. Russo suggests this action could imply MacReady forgot this critical information, or more intriguingly, that MacReady is The Thing. "As soon as Childs drinks from the bottle, The Thing has won," Russo posits. "It’s beaten its most skeptical, final threat."

Carpenter's film masterfully ends without confirming these theories, preserving its mystique. However, Russo offers additional evidence to support his theory. He highlights the film's final line, "Why don't we just wait here for a little while, see what happens?" as particularly fitting if MacReady has already transformed. Russo also speculates on MacReady's apparent killing of 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 found Russo's theory compelling, others remained convinced that Childs is the one who turns into the creature. 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 an intriguing layer to the film's enduring mystery. Carpenter continues to captivate and engage fans decades later, and we're fortunate to receive these tantalizing glimpses into his creative process.