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

The enigmatic ending of John Carpenter’s iconic 1982 sci-fi horror film, *The Thing*, has left fans speculating for over four decades. The unresolved question of whether R.J. MacReady, portrayed by Kurt Russell, or Childs, portrayed by Keith David, transforms into the film’s titular monster has been a topic of endless debate. Carpenter intentionally left the ending ambiguous, providing no clues—until recently.

During a special 4K screening of *The Thing* at the David Geffen Theater in Los Angeles on March 22, Carpenter shared a significant revelation with director Bong Joon Ho. He disclosed that there is a “giant hint” hidden in the middle of the film that indicates who ultimately becomes The Thing. In a playful twist, Carpenter jokingly mentioned he would share this secret with anyone who sent him an undisclosed sum of money “in an envelope to my house.”

Carpenter also revealed that even the actors were kept in the dark about the true identity of The Thing. “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 hint Carpenter mentioned. Russo pointed out that MacReady is informed that the creature can replicate at the cellular level, implying that for their safety, they should only consume food or drink that they alone have touched. Despite this knowledge, MacReady shares his liquor with Childs at the film’s end. Russo suggests that this act could indicate MacReady is The Thing, as he might have forgotten the warning or, more likely, is the creature itself. “As soon as Childs drinks from the bottle, The Thing has won,” Russo stated. “It’s beaten its most skeptical, final threat.”

The genius of Carpenter’s film lies in its unresolved ending, yet Russo provided further evidence to support his theory. He highlighted 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 turned into The Thing. Russo also proposed an alternative interpretation of 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, with some convinced by Russo’s theory, while others believe Childs is the one who becomes the creature. One fan argued, "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 ongoing debate, Carpenter’s ability to keep fans engaged and intrigued after all these years is a testament to his storytelling prowess. The occasional insights he provides continue to enrich the legacy of *The Thing*.