John Carpenter’s 1982 science fiction monster movie The Thing is less a remake of Howard Hawks’ 1951 film than a more faithful adaptation of the original 1938 John W. Campbell Jr. story “Who Goes There?” The film stars Kurt Russell, with Keith David, Richard Dysart, and Wilford Brimley, among others. The Thing is known for its special effects, provided by a team of more than 40 technicians, including veteran creature-effects artists Stan Winston and Rob Bottin.

While the film opened to poor box office, but over the years it has grown into a classic. Along with Ridley Scott’s 1979 SF horror movie Alien, The Thing inspired a generation of filmmakers—and spawned games, comic books, a haunted house attraction, and a 2011 prequel film.

In 2020, it was reported that Universal Pictures and Blumhouse are partnering for a new version, this time adapting a longer version of the original story.

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originally published April 17, 2020

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