The Thing (1982): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot
The Thing is a 1982 sci-fi horror film directed by John Carpenter, starring Keith David, Kurt Russell and Richard Masur. It is based on Who Goes There? by John W. Campbell. It runs 1 hour 49 minutes and earned $20.8 million worldwide. Critics gave it 57 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 8.2/10.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 49m (109 min)
- Director
- John Carpenter
- Studio
- Universal Pictures
- Based on
- Who Goes There? by John W. Campbell
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is The Thing About?
The premise of The Thing without spoilers, adapted from Who Goes There? by John W. Campbell. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
Deep in the desolate, icy landscape of Antarctica, a research team discovers a crashed alien spacecraft. The extraterrestrial organism within possesses the horrifying ability to perfectly imitate other life forms. As the creature infiltrates the isolated team, suspicion and fear escalate, forcing them to determine who is human and who is a dangerous imposter. Survival depends on uncovering the truth before it’s too late.
The Thing Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- isolation
- antarctica
- paranoia
- alien creature
- shapeshifting
- body horror
- alien life form
- ambiguous ending
- research station
- cult film
- scientific expedition
- survival horror
+38 more Show fewer
- dog
- remake
- snow
- all male cast
- transformation
- alien organism
- ancient astronaut
- assimilation
- blood sample
- blood splatter
- eaten alive
- terror
- disembowelment
- contagion
- skidozer
- bombardier
- alien spaceship
- alien
- alien parasite
- campsite
- j&b scotch
- american horror
- f word
- dismemberment
- possession
- maniac
- alien invasion
- bloodbath
- creature
- massacre
- mutilated body
- evil man
- evil
- darkness
- hell on earth
- dead body
- villain
- cut into pieces
The Thing Cast
Keith David leads the cast, with Kurt Russell and Richard Masur. Directed by John Carpenter; 4 actors are credited in all.
-
Director John Carpenter
More from John Carpenter
More films directed by John Carpenter, best-rated first: Halloween, Assault on Precinct 13, Escape from New York and Starman.
The Thing Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave The Thing 57 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 8.2/10.
-
IMDb 8.2 /10
See on IMDb -
Metacritic 57 Metascore
User score 8.6
See on Metacritic -
TMDB 81% User score
See on TMDB
The Thing Plot Summary
What happens in The Thing from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 12 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
In the film’s gripping opening, an alien spacecraft traverses the vastness of space before breaking through Earth’s atmosphere and crash-landing near Antarctica. The circumstances of its arrival remain shrouded in mystery. As the harsh winter of 1982 unfolds, a helicopter is seen racing after a husky dog, where a frantic man aboard fires weapons in a desperate attempt to kill the animal. The terrified husky finds refuge at Outpost 31, an American research station bustling with a crew of twelve preparing for the winter months.
Full summary
The whole story of The Thing, scene by scene
The Thing Box Office
The Thing grossed $20.8 million worldwide. $20.1 million came from the US and Canada and $753,710 (4%) from the rest of the world.
Worldwide gross
$20.8M
- US & Canada
- $20.1M
- International
- $753.7K
The Thing Trailers & Videos
16 videos: 4 trailers, 2 teasers, 4 clips, 5 featurettes and 1 behind-the-scenes video.
- Trailer Official Trailer
- Trailer The Thing (1982) - Theatrical Trailer | Scope | 4K
- Trailer The Thing (1982) - Trailer HD 1080p
- Teaser The Thing (1982) rare teaser trailer, ‘ice block’
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
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
What year is the setting of The Thing?
Cars in The Thing
4 cars on screen, including the Bombardier Skidozer 301 and the 1972 Bombardier Skidozer 302 HD.
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Bombardier Skidozer 301 Minor role -
1972 Bombardier Skidozer 302 HD Minor role -
Caterpillar D3 B Minor role -
Thiokol Imp 1402 Background role
The Thing Also Known As
43 alternative titles, including “A valami” and “John Carpenter's The Thing”.
- Also known as
-
- A valami
- John Carpenter's The Thing
- La chose
- Tvor
- Object from Planet X
- El enigma de otro mundo
- A Coisa
- 더 씽
- Creatura
- The Thing – "se" jostakin
- L'effroyable Chose
- 괴물
+31 more Show fewer
- Coś
- چیز
- La cosa (El enigma de otro mundo)
- La cosa
- 怪形
- Das Ding aus einer anderen Welt
- Veio do Outro Mundo
- Věc
- Нечто
- A Dolog
- Vec
- Şey
- Det grusomme udefra
- Η Απειλή
- היצור
- 遊星からの物体X
- O Enigma de Outro Mundo
- 突變第三型
- Щось
- Нещото
- The Thing - "se" jostakin
- Padaras
- La cosa del otro mundo
- Stvor
- Створ
- Tingen fra en annen verden
- ไอ้ตัวเขมือบโลก
- Quái Vật Biến Hình
- Võõrkeha
- موجود
- الشيء
Seen The Thing?
Movies Like The Thing
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including The Thing, The Thing from Another World and The Thaw.
The Thing FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime
Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings, the book behind it and post-credit scenes of The Thing, each answered in a sentence.
How long is The Thing?
The Thing runs 1 hour 49 minutes (109 minutes).
When was The Thing released?
The Thing was released on June 25, 1982.
Who directed The Thing?
The Thing was directed by John Carpenter.
More films by John Carpenter Who is in the cast of The Thing?
The Thing stars Keith David, Kurt Russell and Richard Masur, among 4 credited actors.
How much did The Thing make at the box office?
The Thing grossed $20.8 million worldwide ($20.1 million domestic, $753,710 international).
How is The Thing rated?
The Thing has 8.2/10 on IMDb, 57 on Metacritic and 81% on TMDB.
Is The Thing based on a book?
Yes. The Thing is adapted from Who Goes There? by John W. Campbell.
Does The Thing have a post-credit scene?
No. The Thing has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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