During an appearance at Fan Expo Chicago, Carpenter was asked whether The Thing 2 would ever happen. His answer immediately got fans talking: “We’re working on it now.” He then quickly added, “Yeah, I don’t know. We’ll see.”
So there is clearly something being discussed or developed behind the scenes, but there is still no official announcement, release date, confirmed cast, or production schedule for The Thing 2.
Carpenter Keeps Hinting at The Thing 2
This is not the first time Carpenter has suggested that another Thing project could happen. Over the past few years, he has occasionally hinted that there may be plans involving the franchise while refusing to give away much information.
That makes his latest comment especially interesting. Instead of brushing off the question or saying there are no plans, Carpenter once again confirmed that something is being worked on.
Exactly what that means is still unclear. It could be early development, conversations with Universal, a script idea, or something much further along that simply has not been announced yet.
For now, the safest way to look at it is simple: The Thing 2 is not official, but it does not sound dead either.
Where Could a Sequel Even Go?
Carpenter’s 1982 The Thing famously ends with R.J. MacReady, played by Kurt Russell, and Childs, played by Keith David, sitting together in the ruins of Outpost 31. Neither man knows whether the other is still human, and the audience is left with exactly the same question.
That unresolved ending has become one of the most discussed moments in horror history. Carpenter has previously indicated that he considers both characters alive when the movie ends, which creates an obvious possibility if a direct sequel ever moves forward.
Would Kurt Russell and Keith David return? Would the story finally reveal whether one of them was infected? Or would a sequel leave the original ending alone and introduce an entirely new group of characters?
There are a lot of ways the story could continue, but answering those questions also comes with some risk.
Does The Thing Actually Need a Sequel?
That may be the biggest issue facing The Thing 2. The original movie works so well partly because it refuses to explain everything.
We never get a clean answer about who survived, whether the creature was completely destroyed, or what happens after the final scene. The uncertainty is part of what has kept fans discussing the movie for more than four decades.
A direct sequel could finally answer those questions, but it could also take away some of the mystery that makes the original so effective.
At the same time, if Carpenter is genuinely involved and believes there is another story worth telling, it is hard not to be curious. The franchise has continued through the 2011 prequel and video games, but fans have never received a true movie sequel to the 1982 film.
The Horror Feed Take
We are interested, but cautiously.
There are plenty of horror franchises where another sequel feels inevitable. The Thing is different because the original already has one of the genre’s most memorable endings.
If The Thing 2 happens, it needs a reason to exist beyond nostalgia. It also needs to avoid explaining away everything that made the original so unsettling.
Carpenter saying “we’re working on it now” is easily enough to get horror fans excited, but his follow-up makes it clear that nothing is guaranteed yet.
For now, The Thing 2 remains something worth watching closely.
Would you want a direct sequel to The Thing, or should the 1982 ending be left alone?
