History of The Thing (1982 film) in Timeline
The Thing (1982) is a science fiction horror film about a group of American researchers in Antarctica who encounter a shape-shifting extraterrestrial being. This creature, known as the "Thing", assimilates and imitates other organisms, leading to intense paranoia and conflict within the isolated research team. As members realize anyone could be the Thing, trust erodes, and they must fight to survive against an enemy that can mimic them perfectly. The film stars Kurt Russell as helicopter pilot R.J. MacReady, who leads the fight against the insidious alien threat.
1938: Publication of "Who Goes There?"
In 1938, John W. Campbell Jr. wrote the novella "Who Goes There?", which served as the basis for the 1982 film The Thing. The story revolves around an extraterrestrial life-form that assimilates, then imitates, other organisms.
1939: Publication of And Then There Were None
In 1939, Agatha Christie's mystery novel And Then There Were None was published. John Carpenter drew parallels between this novel and the novella Who Goes There?
1951: Comparison to the 1951 version
Gary Arnold said in his review of the movie that the 1951 version of The Thing was less versatile but easier to keep in focus than the 1982 version.
1951: Release of The Thing from Another World
In 1951, Howard Hawks and Christian Nyby's film The Thing from Another World, a loose adaptation of "Who Goes There?", was released.
1951: Comparison to 1951's The Thing from Another World
Variety called the 1982 film "The Thing" inferior to the 1951 version, "The Thing from Another World."
1955: Start of Vietnam War
The Vietnam War started in 1955 and lasted until 1975.
1967: Release of Logan's Run
In 1967, William F. Nolan wrote Logan's Run and also developed drafts for The Thing before Carpenter became involved.
1974: Release of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
In 1974, Tobe Hooper directed The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, leading to his initial consideration to direct The Thing.
1975: End of Vietnam War
The Vietnam War ended in 1975, having started in 1955.
1976: Carpenter approached for The Thing
In 1976, John Carpenter was first approached about directing The Thing by Stuart Cohen, but Universal chose Tobe Hooper initially.
1976: Release of The Bad News Bears
In 1976, The Bad News Bears, a work by Bill Lancaster, was released. Carpenter was a fan of Lancaster's work on The Bad News Bears.
1976: Universal Acquires Remake Rights
In 1976, Wilbur Stark purchased the remake rights to 23 RKO Pictures films and Universal acquired the rights to remake The Thing from Another World from Stark.
1977: Initial Meeting with Lancaster
In 1977, Bill Lancaster initially met with Turman, Foster, and Cohen, but he got the impression that they wanted to closely replicate The Thing from Another World, which he wasn't interested in.
1978: Release of Halloween
In 1978, John Carpenter achieved success with his influential slasher film Halloween, which contributed to his loose attachment to The Thing project.
1978: Comparison to Invasion of the Body Snatchers
The Thing was compared to similar films, particularly Alien, Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978), and The Thing from Another World.
August 1979: Lancaster Hired to Write Script
In August 1979, Bill Lancaster was contacted again and hired to write the script for The Thing, after describing his vision to Carpenter.
1979: Release of Alien
In 1979, the success of Ridley Scott's science fiction horror film Alien helped revitalize The Thing project, leading to Carpenter's involvement.
1980: Bottin works with Carpenter on The Fog
In 1980, Bottin previously worked with John Carpenter on The Fog.
1980: Release of The Fog
In 1980, John Carpenter's successes on The Fog helped him secure credibility for The Thing.
June 1981: Kurt Russell Cast and Second Unit Filming Begins
In June 1981, Kurt Russell was cast as R.J. MacReady, and second unit filming began in Juneau, Alaska. Russell was the last actor cast.
August 1981: Filming Begins
In August 1981, filming for The Thing began, lasting approximately twelve weeks. It took place on refrigerated sets in Los Angeles, as well as in Juneau, Alaska, and Stewart, British Columbia.
August 24, 1981: Principal Photography Begins
On August 24, 1981, principal photography for The Thing began in Juneau, Alaska. The filming lasted about twelve weeks.
December 2, 1981: Crew Moves to Stewart, British Columbia
On December 2, 1981, roughly 100 American and Canadian crew members moved to Stewart, British Columbia, to begin filming, after the film scout located an area just outside Stewart, along the Canadian coast.
1981: Release of Escape from New York
In 1981, Carpenter completed work on Escape from New York, which made him hesitant to write The Thing himself.
1981: Marketing and Promotion Efforts for The Thing
In 1981, after a negative reaction to "The Thing" trailer following a screening of "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial", the studio changed the advertising to a color image with a glowing face. The tagline was changed to "The ultimate in alien terror". Carpenter's attempt to rename the film to "Who Goes There?" failed. Carpenter promoted the film on "Late Night with David Letterman". Fangoria held a contest for readers to draw the Thing, awarding winners a trip to Universal Studios.
1981: Bottin Joins The Thing Project
In mid-1981, Bottin joined the production of "The Thing". Although pre-production was underway, the alien's design had not been finalized. Dale Kuipers had created some preliminary paintings, but left the project after a traffic accident before further collaboration with Bottin. Bottin suggested the Thing should be constantly changing, a concept Carpenter initially found "too weird".
June 25, 1982: The Thing's US Release and Box Office Performance
On June 25, 1982, "The Thing" was released in the United States, earning $3.1 million during its opening weekend across 840 theaters, placing it as the number eight film. It fell out of the top 10 after three weeks, earning a total of $19.6 million against a $15 million budget.
1982: Carpenter uses electronic score
In 1982, John Carpenter surprised the speaker by choosing to use an electronic music score that he had written independently, without Carpenter's direct input or advice. Carpenter said that he "got married" to the speaker's music, which is why he called him.
1982: Soundtrack Release
In 1982, MCA released the soundtrack for The Thing.
1982: Release of The Thing and Initial Reception
In 1982, The Thing was released to negative reviews, with critics divided over the special effects. The film grossed $19.6 million during its theatrical run, failing to impress audiences due to competition and its nihilistic tone.
1982: Release of The Thing Film
In 1982, The Thing, an American science fiction horror film directed by John Carpenter and based on the 1938 novella "Who Goes There?", was released. The movie revolves around a group of American researchers in Antarctica who encounter a life-form that assimilates other organisms, leading to paranoia and conflict.
1982: Novelization Published
In 1982, a novelization of The Thing was published by Alan Dean Foster. It is based on an earlier draft of the script and features some differences from the finished film.
1982: Carpenter Interview
In a 1982 interview, when given the option to describe The Thing as "pro-science" like Who Goes There? or "anti-science" like The Thing from Another World, Carpenter chose "pro-human", stating, "It's better to be a human being than an imitation, or let ourselves be taken over by this creature who's not necessarily evil, but whose nature it is to simply imitate, like a chameleon."
1982: The Thing Showreel
In early 1982, film exhibitors wanted reassurance about the quality of "The Thing". Cohen and Foster created a 20-minute showreel to emphasize action and suspense, avoiding special effects reveals. Universal expected "The Thing" to succeed, anticipating "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" would appeal mainly to children. A demographic study suggested a decline in horror film audience appeal. An audience member at a market research screening expressed dissatisfaction with the ambiguous ending.
1982: Release Year Recognition
Several publications have called The Thing one of the best films of 1982, including Filmsite.org, Film.com, and Entertainment Weekly.
1984: Carpenter Loses Firestarter Job
In 1984, Carpenter lost the job of directing the film Firestarter because of The Thing's poor performance. Universal opted to buy him out of his multiple-film contract.
1984: Release of The Philadelphia Experiment
In 1984, Carpenter struggled to complete a screenplay for The Philadelphia Experiment, which further contributed to his reluctance to write The Thing.
1984: Science Fiction Review
In 1984, a reviewer in Phil Hardy's book Science Fiction described the film as a "surprising failure" and called it "Carpenter's most unsatisfying film to date".
1985: Carpenter Discusses The Thing's Failure
In a 1985 interview with Starlog, Carpenter said he was called a 'pornographer of violence' and didn't realize The Thing would be received so negatively, considering it too strong for the time. Shortly after its release, Wilbur Stark sued Universal for $43 million, alleging financial loss due to improper crediting.
1986: Big Trouble in Little China Film
In 1986, Carpenter made the film Big Trouble in Little China.
1987: Release of Prince of Darkness
In 1987, Prince of Darkness, the second installment in John Carpenter's "Apocalypse Trilogy", was released. The Thing is considered the first installment, and both films explore themes of cosmic horror and entities unknown to man.
1990: Potential Project 'El Diablo'
In 1990, Carpenter nearly quit The Thing as he believed his passion project, El Diablo, was on the verge of production, but he remained with The Thing after the development of El Diablo stalled.
December 1991: Comic Book Sequel Release
In December 1991, Dark Horse Comics published the two-part comic book sequel The Thing from Another World by Chuck Pfarrer, which is set 24 hours after the film.
1991: Soundtrack Re-release
In 1991, Varèse Sarabande re-released The Thing soundtrack on compact disc and Compact Cassette.
July 1992: Climate of Fear Comic Release
In July 1992, the four-part The Thing from Another World: Climate of Fear comic was released.
1992: Prescient Review by Peter Nicholls
In 1992, Peter Nicholls provided a prescient review of The Thing calling it "a bleak, memorable film [that] may yet be seen as a classic".
1992: Inspiration for Reservoir Dogs
In 1992, Quentin Tarantino cited The Thing as an inspiration for his film Reservoir Dogs.
December 1993: Eternal Vows Comic Release
In December 1993, the four-part The Thing from Another World: Eternal Vows comic was released.
1994: Release of In the Mouth of Madness
In 1994, In the Mouth of Madness, the third installment in Carpenter's "Apocalypse Trilogy", was released. The trilogy, which begins with The Thing, explores themes of cosmic horror and unknown entities.
1998: Cult Classic Status
By 1998, The Thing was already considered a cult classic.
1998: DVD Release
In 1998, The Thing was released on DVD, featuring additional content such as a detailed documentary on the production called The Thing: Terror Takes Shape, deleted and alternate scenes, and commentary by Carpenter and Russell.
1999: Carpenter's Interest in Sequel
In 1999, Carpenter said that no serious discussions had taken place for a sequel, but he would be interested in basing one on Pfarrer's adaptation, calling the story a worthy sequel.
1999: Carpenter Discusses The Thing's Reception
In a 1999 interview, Carpenter said audiences rejected The Thing for its nihilistic viewpoint during a recession, contrasting with the optimistic E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. It opened the same day as Blade Runner, and was also blamed on an oversaturation of science fiction films. Some cited poor marketing and its R rating as factors.
2000: "Movie Maniacs" Figures Released
In 2000, McFarlane Toys released two "Movie Maniacs" figures: the Blair-Thing and the Norris-Thing, including its spider-legged, disembodied head.
2002: Video Game Release
In 2002, a video game of the same name was released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2, and Xbox to generally favorable reviews. The game's plot follows a team of U.S. soldiers investigating the aftermath of the film's events.
2005: Syfy Miniseries Sequel Planned
In 2005, the Syfy channel planned a four-hour miniseries sequel produced by Frank Darabont and written by David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick. The story was about a Russian team recovering the corpses of MacReady and Childs and remnants of the Thing. The story would move forward 23 years, where the Thing escapes in New Mexico, and follow the attempts at containment. Ultimately, the project was cancelled.
2006: HD DVD Release
In 2006, an HD DVD version of The Thing was released, containing the same features as the 1998 DVD release.
2007: Halloween Horror Nights Attraction
In 2007, the Halloween Horror Nights event at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida, featured "The Thing: Assimilation", a haunted attraction based on the film.
2008: Empire Magazine's Top 500 Movies
In 2008, Empire magazine selected The Thing as one of The 500 Greatest Movies of All Time, at number 289, calling it "a peerless masterpiece of relentless suspense, retina-wrecking visual excess and outright, nihilistic terror".
2008: Blu-ray Release
In 2008, a Blu-ray version of The Thing was released, featuring just the Carpenter and Russell commentary, and some behind-the-scenes videos available via picture-in-picture during the film.
January 2010: "The Things" Short Story Published
In January 2010, Clarkesworld Magazine published "The Things", a short story by Peter Watts told from the Thing's point of view.
October 2011: Release of The Thing Prequel
In October 2011, a prequel film also titled The Thing, was released. It grossed $31 million worldwide and received mixed reviews. The prequel's story focuses on the events after the Norwegian team discovers the Thing.
2011: Hugo Award Nomination
In 2011, "The Things" received a Hugo Award nomination.
2011: Restoration of Morricone's Score
In 2011, Howarth and Larry Hopkins restored Morricone's score for The Thing using updated digital techniques and arranged each track in the order it appears in the film. The album also includes tracks composed by Carpenter and Howarth for the film.
2011: Horror Filmmakers' Scariest Film
In 2011, The New York Times asked prominent horror filmmakers what film they had found the scariest. Two, John Sayles and Edgar Wright, cited The Thing.
2011: Prequel Film Release
In 2011, a prequel film of the same title was released, expanding on the story of The Thing.
2011: Carpenter's Remarks on Career
In a 2011 interview, Carpenter remarked that The Thing was perhaps his favorite film from his own filmography and lamented that it took a long time for The Thing to find a wider audience.
2012: Morricone's Recollection
In 2012, Ennio Morricone recalled his experience composing the film's score. Carpenter wanted The Thing to have a European musical approach.
2014: Carpenter Interview
In a 2014 interview, Carpenter discussed the early script attempts for The Thing, noting that "they were just trying to make it work".
2015: Esquire Ranking
In 2015, Esquire ranked The Thing as number 32 among the best science fiction films.
2015: Inspiration for The Hateful Eight
The 2015 Tarantino film The Hateful Eight takes numerous cues from The Thing, from featuring Russell in a starring role, to replicating themes of paranoia and mistrust between characters restricted to a single location, and even duplicating certain angles and layouts used by Carpenter and Cundey.
2016: Empire and Time Out Rankings
In 2016, Empire ranked The Thing as the number four horror film, and Time Out ranked it as number six.
2016: IGN Ranking
In 2016, IGN ranked The Thing as the number four science fiction film.
2016: Blu-ray Release with 2K Restoration
In 2016, a Blu-ray release featured a 2K resolution restoration of the film, overseen by Dean Cundey. It included previous features and added interviews with the cast and crew, and segments focusing on the music, writing, editing, Ploog's artwork, an interview with Alan Dean Foster, and the television broadcast version.
February 23, 2017: Remastered Vinyl Release
On February 23, 2017, a remastered version of The Thing's score was released on vinyl; a deluxe edition included an exclusive interview with Carpenter.
2017: The Thing: Infection at Outpost 31 Board Game Release
In 2017, Mondo and the Project Raygun division of USAopoly released The Thing: Infection at Outpost 31, a board game. Players take on the role of characters from the film or the Thing, each aiming to defeat the other through subterfuge and sabotage.
2017: Popular Mechanics Ranking
In 2017, Popular Mechanics ranked The Thing as number 32 among the best science fiction films.
2017: Art Book Release
In 2017, a 400-page art book was released featuring art inspired by The Thing, with contributions from 350 artists, a foreword by director Eli Roth, and an afterword by Carpenter.
2017: 4K Resolution Restoration Release
In 2017, a 4K resolution restoration of The Thing was released on Blu-ray, initially as a United Kingdom exclusive with a limited run. The restoration was created using the original film negative and was overseen by Carpenter and Cundey.
2018: Bloody Disgusting Ranking
In 2018, Bloody Disgusting ranked The Thing as the number two horror film.
2018: Thrillist and GamesRadar+ Ranking
In 2018, Thrillist ranked The Thing as number 12 and GamesRadar+ ranked it as number 17 among the best science fiction films.
May 2020: Lost Cues: The Thing EP Release
In May 2020, an extended play (EP), Lost Cues: The Thing, was released. The EP contains Carpenter's contributions to The Thing's score; he re-recorded the music because the original masterings were lost.
2020: Remake Announced by Universal and Blumhouse
In 2020, Universal Studios and Blumhouse Productions announced the development of a remake of Carpenter's The Thing. This remake would incorporate elements from both The Thing from Another World and The Thing, as well as the novella Who Goes There? and its expanded version Frozen Hell.
September 2021: 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Release
In September 2021, The Thing was released on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray.
2023: Box Office Gross Update in 2023
As of 2023, subsequent theatrical releases raised the box office gross of "The Thing" to $19.9 million.
2023: Pinball Table Feature in Pinball M
In 2023, a pinball table based on The Thing is featured in Pinball M, including R.J. MacReady and various other elements from the film.
2024: Rotten Tomatoes Ranking
In 2024, Rotten Tomatoes ranked The Thing as number 11 in best science fiction films.
2024: The Thing: The Boardgame Release
In 2024, The Thing: The Boardgame was released by Pendragon Game Studio.
2024: Appearance in Funko Fusion
In 2024, characters from, and an area based on The Thing appear in the video game Funko Fusion.
Mentioned in this timeline
China officially the People's Republic of China PRC is located...
Quentin Tarantino is a highly influential American filmmaker actor and...
News encompasses current events communicated through various media including word...
Music is a cultural universal involving the arrangement of sound...
Books are a means of storing information as text or...
The horse scientifically known as Equus ferus caballus is a...
Trending
27 minutes ago Lamar Jackson attends Ravens' offseason workouts with new HC Jesse Minter's program.
28 minutes ago Ackman's Pershing Square Proposes $64 Billion Universal Music Takeover, Boosting Stock Value.
28 minutes ago Dimitrov at Monte Carlo: Bublik vs Monfils Predictions and Match Previews Emerge
1 hour ago Predictions and comments on matches involving Darderi, Alcaraz and others in 2026.
2 hours ago Fire at Potawatomi Casino: HVAC unit ignited, causing temporary evacuation.
3 hours ago Manaus drainage system recovered; flooding points are eliminated; pipe repairs done.
Popular
Paula White-Cain is a prominent American televangelist and key figure...
William Franklin Graham III commonly known as Franklin Graham is...
XXXTentacion born Jahseh Dwayne Ricardo Onfroy was a controversial yet...
Pam Bondi is an American attorney and politician She served...
Eric Swalwell is an American lawyer and politician currently serving...
George Soros is a Hungarian-American investor and philanthropist with a...