A significant part of the allure of John Carpenter's iconic 1982 sci-fi horror film, *The Thing*, lies in its enigmatic ending. For 43 years, enthusiasts have speculated whether R.J. MacReady, portrayed by Kurt Russell, or Childs, played by Keith David, morphs into the film's titular monster. Carpenter deliberately left viewers in suspense, providing no clear indications—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 of *Parasite* and *Mickey 17* fame that a "giant hint" embedded in the film's midpoint could reveal who turns into The Thing by the end. In a playful twist, Carpenter jokingly offered to disclose this secret for an undisclosed sum of money sent "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 the MCU's Joe Russo) shared his theory on X / Twitter, claiming to have uncovered the hinted clue. Russo pointed out that MacReady is informed that the creature can replicate at the cellular level, necessitating that individuals only consume what they have personally handled. Yet, at the film's conclusion, MacReady shares his liquor with Childs. This action could indicate MacReady's lapse in memory, but Russo's theory suggests it more likely signifies that MacReady is The Thing. "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 is that it concludes without confirming these theories. However, Russo provided additional support for his hypothesis. 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 were The Thing. Russo's thread also proposed an alternate interpretation of MacReady killing The Thing: "Did you see that OR… did you watch 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 on Russo's theory. Some believe Childs is the creature due to his unexplained absence leading up to the final scene. A fan commented, "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 debate, Russo's theory offers a compelling perspective on Carpenter's masterpiece. The director continues to captivate and engage fans even decades after the film's release, and we're fortunate to receive ongoing insights from his creative mind.