Part of the enduring allure of John Carpenter’s iconic 1982 sci-fi horror film The Thing lies in its enigmatic ending. For over four decades, fans have speculated whether R.J. MacReady, portrayed by Kurt Russell, or Childs, portrayed by Keith David, transforms into the film's titular monster. Carpenter deliberately kept the audience in the dark, offering no definitive clues—until a recent revelation.

During 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 that there is a "giant hint" hidden in the film's middle that indicates who becomes The Thing at the end. In a playful twist, Carpenter added that he would disclose this secret to anyone willing to send an undisclosed amount of money "in an envelope to my house."

Carpenter also disclosed that even the actors were unaware of their fates. "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."

Following the screening, indie director Joe Russo (not to be confused with the MCU's Joe Russo) shared his theory on X / Twitter, suggesting he had identified the hint. Russo pointed out that MacReady is informed that the creature can replicate at the cellular level, advising the crew to only consume items they have personally handled. Despite this, MacReady shares his liquor with Childs in the film's final scene. Russo theorizes that this act could indicate MacReady is The Thing, as sharing the bottle would allow the creature to infect Childs. "As soon as Childs drinks from the bottle, The Thing has won," Russo stated. "It's beaten its most skeptical, final threat."

Carpenter's genius is evident in the film's unresolved ending, yet Russo's theory offers compelling evidence. He highlighted the film's last line, "Why don't we just wait here for a little while, see what happens?" as particularly fitting if MacReady is already The Thing. Russo further suggested that the scene where MacReady kills The Thing might actually show a superior imitation killing a lesser one to better infiltrate society upon rescue.

While some fans found Russo's theory convincing, others maintained that Childs is the true monster, citing his unexplained absence before the final scene. One fan noted, "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 which theory holds true, Carpenter continues to captivate and intrigue fans with his insights, keeping the mystery of The Thing alive and well.

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