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After John Carpenter Drops Hint Regarding THE THING Ending, a Fan May Have Solved the Mystery of Who Is The Thing
After 43 years of fan theories, debates, and close rewatching, it looks like the mystery at the heart of John Carpenter’s classic sci-fi horror movie The Thing might finally be solved, or at least given a serious nudge in the right direction.During a recent 4K screening at the David Geffen Theater, Carpenter hinted that a certain scene in the middle of the movie gives away who’s really been taken over… Kurt Russell’s R.J. MacReady or Keith David’s Childs.That was enough to send fans back into the icy depths of The Thing, combing through the details. One of them named Joe Russo took to X with what he believes is the clue: “I think I found that hint.”Let’s rewind for a second. Earlier in the film, the crew learns that The Thing can replicate life at a cellular level. Based on that, MacReady warns that no one should eat or drink anything they didn’t personally prepare. Seems like solid advice. But in the film’s final moments, MacReady hands Childs a bottle of liquor and Childs takes a swig. According to Russo, that’s the tell.“As soon as Childs drinks from the bottle, The Thing has won. It’s beaten its most skeptical, final threat.”That moment, along with MacReady’s final line, “Why don't we just wait here for a little while, see what happens?”, feels more ominous when you think of it in that light. Russo also suggests we may have seen “a BETTER imitation kill a POORER imitation because it had a better chance of infiltrating society upon rescue.”Naturally, not everyone’s buying it. One fan pointed out the whole “no breath from Childs” theory, claiming his lack of visible breath means he was already turned. Another countered with the fact that we lose track of Childs during a critical window of time before the ending. But Russo was ready with a response: “Carpenter said both actors don't know... Childs always felt like a red herring to me.”Whether Russo is right or not, there is logic behind the theory, and it’s always fun to go back and talk about. The Thing cinematographer Dean Cundey previously offered some commentary on the scene in the Blu-ray release for the film, and he shares what he believes is a clue to who is human and who has been taken over:“So we were looking for some kind of a subtle way, to say which one of these [men] might be human. You’ll notice there’s always an eye light, we call it, a little gleam in the eye of the actor. It gives life. ‘That eye light’ is supposedly a tell, as survivors MacReady and Childs wait it out to see what’s what before the credits roll.”However, Carpenter responded to that claim, saying: “He has no clue. He has no clue. Yes, I know. I know who’s the Thing and who’s not in the very end. He has no idea. He puts the lights up. He puts the lights up, and we were in the snow. He has no clue.” When asked if he would want Cundey to know what he really thinks, Carpenter mischievously added, “You tell him that. Tell him he’s full of shit.”So what do you think? Is the final drink the key? John Carpenter told Bong Joon Ho (and everyone at the David Geffen Theater) there’s a hint in the middle of THE THING that reveals whether MacReady or Childs is The Thing by the end of the movie and… I think I found that hint.*spoilers for a 43 year old movie below* pic.twitter.com/jdTZzlXCkE— Joe Russo (@joerussotweets) March 23, 2025
After 43 years of fan theories, debates, and close rewatching, it looks like the mystery at the heart of John Carpenter’s classic sci-fi horror movie The Thing might finally be solved, or at least given a serious nudge in the right direction.
During a recent 4K screening at the David Geffen Theater, Carpenter hinted that a certain scene in the middle of the movie gives away who’s really been taken over… Kurt Russell’s R.J. MacReady or Keith David’s Childs.
That was enough to send fans back into the icy depths of The Thing, combing through the details. One of them named Joe Russo took to X with what he believes is the clue: “I think I found that hint.”
Let’s rewind for a second. Earlier in the film, the crew learns that The Thing can replicate life at a cellular level. Based on that, MacReady warns that no one should eat or drink anything they didn’t personally prepare.
Seems like solid advice. But in the film’s final moments, MacReady hands Childs a bottle of liquor and Childs takes a swig. According to Russo, that’s the tell.
“As soon as Childs drinks from the bottle, The Thing has won. It’s beaten its most skeptical, final threat.”
That moment, along with MacReady’s final line, “Why don't we just wait here for a little while, see what happens?”, feels more ominous when you think of it in that light. Russo also suggests we may have seen “a BETTER imitation kill a POORER imitation because it had a better chance of infiltrating society upon rescue.”
Naturally, not everyone’s buying it. One fan pointed out the whole “no breath from Childs” theory, claiming his lack of visible breath means he was already turned. Another countered with the fact that we lose track of Childs during a critical window of time before the ending.
But Russo was ready with a response: “Carpenter said both actors don't know... Childs always felt like a red herring to me.”
Whether Russo is right or not, there is logic behind the theory, and it’s always fun to go back and talk about.
The Thing cinematographer Dean Cundey previously offered some commentary on the scene in the Blu-ray release for the film, and he shares what he believes is a clue to who is human and who has been taken over:
“So we were looking for some kind of a subtle way, to say which one of these [men] might be human. You’ll notice there’s always an eye light, we call it, a little gleam in the eye of the actor. It gives life. ‘That eye light’ is supposedly a tell, as survivors MacReady and Childs wait it out to see what’s what before the credits roll.”
However, Carpenter responded to that claim, saying: “He has no clue. He has no clue. Yes, I know. I know who’s the Thing and who’s not in the very end. He has no idea. He puts the lights up. He puts the lights up, and we were in the snow. He has no clue.”
When asked if he would want Cundey to know what he really thinks, Carpenter mischievously added, “You tell him that. Tell him he’s full of shit.”
So what do you think? Is the final drink the key?
John Carpenter told Bong Joon Ho (and everyone at the David Geffen Theater) there’s a hint in the middle of THE THING that reveals whether MacReady or Childs is The Thing by the end of the movie and…
I think I found that hint.
*spoilers for a 43 year old movie below* pic.twitter.com/jdTZzlXCkE— Joe Russo (@joerussotweets) March 23, 2025
