The enduring mystery of John Carpenter's iconic 1982 sci-fi horror film, *The Thing*, has captivated fans for over four decades. The ambiguous ending leaves viewers pondering whether R.J. MacReady, portrayed by Kurt Russell, or Childs, played by Keith David, transforms into the film's titular monster. Carpenter deliberately crafted this uncertainty, but a recent revelation might shed new light on the mystery.

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 a "giant hint" embedded in the middle of the film points to who becomes The Thing at the end. In a humorous twist, Carpenter quipped that he'd disclose this pivotal information to anyone willing to send an undisclosed amount of money "in an envelope to my house."

Carpenter also disclosed that even the actors were kept in the dark about their characters' fates. "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 to be confused with the MCU's Joe Russo) took to X / Twitter to share his theory about the hinted clue. Russo pointed out that MacReady learns the creature can replicate at the cellular level, advising that they should only consume items they've personally handled. Yet, at the film's end, MacReady shares his liquor with Childs. Russo suggests this act might indicate MacReady's transformation into The Thing, as sharing the bottle could mean the creature's victory over its last skeptic. "As soon as Childs drinks from the bottle, The Thing has won," Russo asserts. "It's beaten its most skeptical, final threat."

Carpenter's genius lies in leaving the film's conclusion open-ended, but Russo provides additional evidence to support his theory. He highlights the film's final 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's thread also speculates on the scene where MacReady kills The Thing, suggesting viewers might have witnessed "a BETTER imitation kill a POORER imitation because it had a better chance of infiltrating society upon rescue."

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While some fans find Russo's theory compelling, others remain convinced that Childs is the one who turns into the creature. "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," one fan commented. Russo responded, "Carpenter said both actors don't know... Childs always felt like a red herring to me."

Regardless of where one stands on the theory, it's clear that Carpenter continues to engage and thrill fans with his insights, even after all these years. The ongoing discussions and theories only add to the legacy of *The Thing*.