
Deep in the Antarctic wilderness, an American research team discovers an alien spacecraft and a mysterious, otherworldly organism. As the creature awakens, it begins to assimilate and imitate the team members, sowing paranoia and distrust. Paleontologist Kate Lloyd and pilot Carter must work together to uncover the truth and stop the terrifying, shape-shifting alien from wiping out the entire expedition in a desperate fight for survival against the brutal, icy environment.
Does The Thing have end credit scenes?
No!
The Thing does not have end credit scenes. You can leave when the credits roll.
Explore the complete cast of The Thing, including both lead and supporting actors. Learn who plays each character, discover their past roles and achievements, and find out what makes this ensemble cast stand out in the world of film and television.
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49
Metascore
6.2
User Score
34%
TOMATOMETER
43%
User Score
6.2 /10
IMDb Rating
62
%
User Score
2.7
From 86 fan ratings
3.91/5
From 65 fan ratings
Challenge your knowledge of The Thing with this fun and interactive movie quiz. Test yourself on key plot points, iconic characters, hidden details, and memorable moments to see how well you really know the film.
What year do the events of the movie take place?
1980
1982
1985
1989
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Read the complete plot summary of The Thing, including all major events, twists, and the full ending explained in detail. Explore key characters, themes, hidden meanings, and everything you need to understand the story from beginning to end.
In Antarctica, 1982, a group of three Norwegian scientists sets off in a snow cat to investigate a mysterious signal across a vast, icy landscape. Their expedition takes a dangerous turn when their vehicle suddenly drops into a fissure, exposing a spaceship hidden beneath the ice. Sander, a Norwegian scientist, reaches out to Kate Lloyd, an American paleontologist, convincing her to join him in Antarctica to study the groundbreaking find.
Upon arriving at the Norwegian camp, Kate and her colleague, Adam, are introduced to other team members, including Edvard, the camp’s leader, and Lars, a mechanic who doesn’t speak English. They embark on a snow cat journey to view the ship embedded in the ice and uncover a peculiar organism frozen solid. With plans to extract the mysterious entity, the team is thrilled by their discovery but oblivious to the impending horror.
As they remove the organism, tensions rise when Sander insists on taking a tissue sample without sterilization, leading to Kate’s vehement disagreement. Following the sample extraction, the atmosphere shifts dramatically at a celebration in the rec room, where the team revels in their find—alien life. However, their ingenuity proves to be short-lived as the organism begins to melt. The situation escalates when the Thing, an unknown entity, escapes its ice prison and wreaks havoc, symbolizing the danger that will soon envelop them.
Panic ensues as Jameson rushes to alert the others about the creature’s escape. Sander quickly assigns teams to search for the Thing, leading to a horrifying encounter when Henrik and Olav discover its grotesque form beneath a building. A terrifying confrontation results in Henrik being brutally attacked, leaving the remaining team members reeling from fear and trauma. They attempt to fight back, setting the creature ablaze, but only after witnessing the dark consequences of their discovery.
As the days pass, the dynamics within the group deteriorate. Olav’s condition worsens, and medical evacuation plans begin to unravel. Kate realizes that the Thing is capable of assimilating any living being, a revelation tied to her grisly discovery of dental fillings belonging to a replicated organism. Amid the chaos, she stresses the necessity for quarantine protocols, culminating in a blood test to ascertain who among them might be infected.
With mounting paranoia, the team turns on one another, highlighting the psychological strain of isolation in the frozen wilderness. After several explosive confrontations, the Thing reveals its formidable strength, as parts of it morph and assimilate into fellow team members, causing chaos and carnage. As the situation spirals out of control, Kate’s resolve intensifies; she races against time to prevent further assimilation and find a means to destroy the malignant organism.
In a climactic showdown, Kate grapples with the entity aboard the ship, witnessing the ultimate culmination of the horror they unleashed. Armed with grenades, she makes a desperate stand against the Sander-Thing, culminating in a heart-pounding moment that sparks destruction and reveals the grim fate of her colleagues.
In the film’s gripping finale, as Kate faces the chilling truth about her remaining ally amidst fiery chaos, she barely escapes, leading to a haunting conclusion that leaves viewers questioning the nature of humanity in the face of alien terror. The chilling scenes that unfold hint at the totality of this monstrous horror, with the closing moments echoing the cycle of fear and survival, as a lone survivor grasps for a shred of hope amidst an unforgiving landscape.
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