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Sci-fi thriller

The Thing (2011): Ratings, Box Office, Plot & Where to Watch

The Thing (2011) movie poster

The Thing is a 2011 sci-fi thriller directed by Matthijs van Heijningen Jr.. It is inspired by Who Goes There? by John W. Campbell. It runs 1 hour 43 minutes and earned $31.5 million worldwide on a $38 million budget. Critics gave it 34% on Rotten Tomatoes and 49 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.2/10. Stream it on Peacock and YouTube Free, or rent or buy it on Amazon Video and Apple TV Store.

IMDb rating
6.2/10
Rotten Tomatoes
34%
worldwide gross
$31.5M
Metascore
49
The Thing (2011) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 43m (103 min)
Genres
Sci-Fi , Mystery , Thriller , Horror
Original language
English
Budget
$38M
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is The Thing About?

The premise of The Thing without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

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.

The Thing Themes & Keywords

· 44 tags
  • alien
  • scientist
  • antarctica
  • student
  • paleontologist
  • alien creature
  • norwegian
  • polar research station
  • frozen body
  • body horror
  • spaceship
  • horror movie prequel
+32 more
  • prequel
  • paranoia
  • sole survivor
  • mistrust
  • metal dental filling
  • blood test
  • graphic violence
  • based on novella
  • based on short story
  • creature feature
  • year 1982
  • falling through ice
  • scientific research
  • laboratory
  • burned alive
  • isolation
  • transformation
  • survival horror
  • mutation
  • helicopter crash
  • deception
  • suspicion
  • flamethrower
  • tissue sample
  • 1980s
  • snowstorm
  • shapeshifting
  • shapeshifting alien
  • monster
  • gore
  • dog
  • outpost
Where to watch

Where to Watch The Thing

Stream it on Peacock and YouTube Free, or rent or buy it from Amazon Video and Apple TV Store. US availability and prices from JustWatch.

Streaming availability in the US, powered by JustWatch logo

Crew

The Director of The Thing

Directed by Matthijs van Heijningen Jr..

Ratings

The Thing Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave The Thing 34% on Rotten Tomatoes and 49 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.2/10.

Plot

The Thing Plot Summary

What happens in The Thing from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

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.

Full summary

The whole story of The Thing, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Box office

The Thing Box Office & Budget

The Thing grossed $31.5 million worldwide on a $38 million budget, 83% of what it cost. $16.9 million came from the US and Canada and $14.6 million (46%) from the rest of the world.

2011 box office

Worldwide gross

$31.5M

83% of its budget back

US & Canada
$16.9M
International
$14.6M
Budget
$38M
US & Canada 54% Rest of the world 46%
Videos

The Thing Trailers & Videos

7 videos: 4 trailers and 3 clips.

All 7 videos
The Thing (2011) New Trailer‬‏ Exclusive
  • Trailer Official Trailer
  • Trailer Restricted Trailer
  • Trailer Trailer
  • Clip Escape
Quiz

How Well Do You Know The Thing?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

What year do the events of the movie take place?

Cars

Cars in The Thing

3 cars on screen, including the LMC 1200C ST and the Thiokol Spryte 1200.

  • LMC 1200C ST in The Thing LMC 1200C ST Important role
  • Thiokol Spryte 1200 in The Thing Thiokol Spryte 1200 Important role
  • Thiokol Imp in The Thing Thiokol Imp Background role
Details

The Thing Also Known As

31 alternative titles, including “The Thing: The Beginning” and “Дещо”.

Also known as
  • The Thing: The Beginning
  • Дещо
  • La cosa
  • La Chose
  • چیز
  • Щось
  • 怪形(2011)
  • 異種2011
  • Şey
  • Нечто
  • 怪形前传
  • A Dolog
+19 more
  • Věc - Počátek
  • A Coisa
  • La cosa (The Thing)
  • Coś
  • Vec: Počiatok
  • Нещото
  • Η Απειλή
  • 遊星からの物体X ファーストコンタクト
  • Creatura
  • היצור
  • 더 씽
  • 極地詭變
  • La cosa del otro mundo
  • แหวกมฤตยู อสูรใต้โลก
  • Quái Vật Kinh Dị
  • Stvor
  • Padaras
  • موجود
  • الشيء

Seen The Thing?

FAQ

The Thing FAQ: Where to Watch, Box Office & Runtime

Runtime, release date, director, where to watch, box office, ratings and post-credit scenes of The Thing, each answered in a sentence.

How long is The Thing?

The Thing runs 1 hour 43 minutes (103 minutes).

When was The Thing released?

The Thing was released on October 14, 2011.

Who directed The Thing?

The Thing was directed by Matthijs van Heijningen Jr.

More films by Matthijs van Heijningen Jr.

Where can I watch The Thing?

In the US, The Thing is streaming on Peacock and YouTube Free and available to rent or buy on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Fandango At Home (availability from JustWatch).

How much did The Thing make at the box office?

The Thing grossed $31.5 million worldwide ($16.9 million domestic, $14.6 million international) on a budget of $38 million.

How is The Thing rated?

The Thing has 6.2/10 on IMDb, 34% on Rotten Tomatoes, 49 on Metacritic and 62% on TMDB.

Does The Thing have a post-credit scene?

No. The Thing has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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