Released 38 years ago, The Thing was directed by John Carpenter with Kurt Russell starring as the primary protagonist. Written by Bill Lancaster, The Thing was adapted from John W. Campbell’s novella Who Goes There?.
Upon its release, The Thing was a critical and commercial failure. On a budget of $15 million, The Thing managed to earn only $19.6 million. Considered to be instant junk and wretched excess, The Thing was one of the most hated movies of 1982. Released alongside Steven Spielberg’s E.T. the Extraterrestrial, The Thing‘s nihilistic approach and its graphic nature wasn’t well-received by the audience.
Fast forward to 1998, The Thing was released on DVD featuring additional content which included a detailed documentary on the production, deleted and alternate scenes, and commentary by Kurt Russell and John Carpenter. Surprisingly, The Thing found the appreciation and praise it deserved on home video, and later when it was released on television. The slow and gradual increase in its fanbase led to its widespread popularity. Though the movie’s failure effectively ended John Carpenter’s directorial career, The Thing is now considered to be one of the finest movies in the science-fiction horror genre.
Overturning its initial verdict, The Thing has amassed a cult following in recent times. The movie’s core themes of paranoia and mistrust have resonated well with the recent audience, citing it to be a groundbreaking achievement for an early ’80s horror movie.
Director John Carpenter was inspired by Lovecraftian horror, which led to the creation of the repulsive parasitic alien which terrorized the small camp in the movie. The Thing was shot in refrigerated structures with principal photography being taken at Alaska and British Columbia.
Rob Bottin served as the special make-up effects creator for The Thing. His attention to detail made most of the scenes ultra-realistic, which backfired when the movie was released. As the movie had a graphic nature, Bottin’s realistic make-up effects were described as excessively violent and repulsive. But in recent years, Bottin’s work has received critical acclaim which was vital for the movie’s impact.
As the movie is considered to be one of the greatest science-fiction horror movies ever made, Blumhouse Productions has started working on a reboot of the cult-classic movie. Director John Carpenter is also set to return as the director for the reboot.
Carpenter first revealed the news on Saturday on a panel for the Fantasia International Film Festival. During the interview, Carpenter discussed finishing the score to “Halloween Kills,” a sequel to the 2018 reboot of another Carpenter favorite. That film, produced by Blumhouse and directed by David Gorden Green, was recently pushed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
When asked if he was in talks with Jason Blum, chief of Blumhouse Productions regarding his return as the director, Carpenter said:
“I have? I don’t know about that,” Carpenter said. “But we’ve talked about — I think he’s going to be working on ‘The Thing,’ rebooting ‘The Thing.’ I’m involved with that, maybe. Down the road.”
As the movie is still in its initial phases, no further details regarding the cast or release date have been released. Stay tuned!
