The Thing
A research team in Antarctica is hunted by a shape-shifting alien that assumes the appearance of its victims.
Directed by John Carpenter · Horror · Mystery · Sci-Fi · 109 min · 1982
Trailer
Director
John Carpenter
Studio
Universal Pictures / The Turman-Foster Company
Release
25 Jun 1982
Runtime
109 min
Genres
Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi
Full Plot
A US research station, Antarctica, early-winter 1982. The base is suddenly buzzed by a helicopter from the nearby Norwegian research station. They are trying to kill a dog that has escaped from their base. After the destruction of the Norwegian chopper the members of the US team fly to the Norwegian base, only to discover them all dead or missing. They do find the remains of a strange creature the Norwegians burned. The Americans take it to their base and deduce that it is an alien life form. After a while it is apparent that the alien can take over and assimilate into other life forms, including humans, and can spread like a virus. This means that anyone at the base could be inhabited by The Thing, and tensions escalate.
Cast & Characters
R. J. MacReady, the helicopter pilot
Kurt Russell
Wilford Brimley
Blair, the senior biologist
A. Wilford Brimley
Nauls, the cook
T. K. Carter
Palmer, the assistant mechanic
David Clennon
Dr. Copper, the physician
Richard Dysart
Norris, the geologist
Charles Hallahan
George Bennings, the meteorologist
Peter Maloney
Clark, the dog handler
Richard Masur
Garry, the station commander
Donald Moffat
Did You Know?
Made on an estimated budget of $15.0M, The Thing has grossed $19.6M worldwide — about 1.3x its budget.
Source: TMDb API · verified 2026-08-02
The Thing is part of TMDb's "The Thing Collection."
Source: TMDb API · verified 2026-08-02
During its opening weekend, the film earned $3.
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-03
Critical Assessment
The Thing holds 8.2/10 on IMDb (521,638 votes), 85% on Rotten Tomatoes, 57/100 on Metacritic.
Not enough independent critic/audience score breakdown available.
Ratings as of July 30, 2026
Where to Watch
United States
United Kingdom
India
Streaming data from JustWatch via TMDb. Availability changes often — confirm on the provider before watching.
AI Verdict
AI-generatedBased on aggregated scores (8.2/10 on IMDb (521,638 votes), 85% on Rotten Tomatoes, 57/100 on Metacritic), this is a data-driven snapshot rather than an editorial take.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Thing's Rotten Tomatoes score?+
The Thing holds a 85% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes.
What is The Thing's IMDb rating?+
The Thing has a 8.2/10 rating on IMDb from 521,638 votes.
What is The Thing's Metacritic score?+
The Thing has a Metascore of 57/100 on Metacritic.
Is The Thing good? What are critics saying?+
The Thing holds 8.2/10 on IMDb (521,638 votes), 85% on Rotten Tomatoes, 57/100 on Metacritic.
How long is The Thing?+
The Thing has a runtime of 109 min.
Who directed The Thing?+
The Thing was directed by John Carpenter.
Where can I watch The Thing?+
The Thing is available to stream, rent, or buy on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Sky Store, Rakuten TV.
Fan & Critic Buzz
Here is a summary of public reaction to the movie "The Thing" based on the provided text: Reviews praise the film for its originality, respect to the 1951 "Thing" movie, and its groundbreaking horror elements. Some critics find it too boring, but overall opinions are positive with some expressing preference for the 1982 version. The film is also commended for its atmosphere and effort put into making it a masterpiece.
Viewer Reviews (TMDb)
Flips the scenario round from the original to great effect. John Carpenter shows how much he loves the 1951 original by giving it the utmost respect that he possibly could, the only difference here is that Carpenter chooses to stick to the paranoiac core of John W Campbell Jr's s…
John Chard · 10/10It was a good and original movie but some parts were still too boring, am i the only one who thinks like this?
fenicka · 6/10Stuck on a remote station in Antarctica with… The Thing RELEASED IN 1982 and directed by John Carter, “The Thing” stars Kurt Russell as the helicopter pilot of an eleven-man crew at a research station in Antarctica who encounter a ghastly shape-shifting alien that perfectly repli…
Wuchak · 7/101982 was a good year for alien movies. The people were not really ready for it, but it was. Not only did Spielberg’s friendly and warm-hearted E.T. - The Extraterrestrial debut at Cannes, and went on to become the world’s highest grossing film, but Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan…
DrewBlack · 10/10**The Thing is a bloody disgusting groundbreaking masterpiece that reinvented cinema and reminded everyone that true fear lies in what can't be seen.** The Thing might be the greatest horror creature film ever made. In an age where aliens were cute and friendly like E.T., John Ca…
The Movie Mob · 10/10As remakes go, this is one of the better ones that I have seen - though I still prefer the degree of menace generated by the 1951 iteration. A man in an helicopter is shooting at a lonely mutt amidst the antarctic wilderness when it arrives at an American scientific base. An acci…
CinemaSerf · 7/10Told by way of a cycle of interconnected stories, this works well as a portmanteau of crimes and misdemeanours affecting a small town as it celebrates (or not!) Halloween. We start with a young couple returning from a party; the lady less enamoured with the occasion than her boyf…
CinemaSerf · 7/10The Thing is a claustrophobic, paranoia-driven horror film that follows a crew of American scientists trying to fend off an extraterrestrial monster before it picks them all off, one by one. The film is incredibly grounded, in a way that increases the horror and tension surroundi…
Nathan · 9/10I've seen this movie so many times. I own it twice on DVD, I own it on 4K, Blu-Ray and I even have a copy on the now defunct HD-DVD format. I regret not seeing it in the theaters back in 1982. I don't know why I didn't go. I was certainly old enough to appreciate it. Instead, I s…
whitsbrain · 10/10
From the trailer's comments
"The Thing"(1982) is a horror movie masterpiece! This is probably the best science fiction horror movie of all time!
@konstantinoskaragiannis1596 · 193 likesThis film took so much effort to make. Not like cheap ass CGI nowadays. I come back to it often...has a good atmosphere.
@thestew56 · 92 likes"I know you gentlemen have been through a lot. But when you find the time... I'd rather not spend the rest of this winter TIED TO THIS FUCKING COUCH!!!!"
@jessemedina4482 · 82 likesI can't believe that when this movie came out that critics disliked it. Now it's an undisputed classic.
@bigkahunaburger1092 · 319 likesJohn Carpenter, Wes Craven, Clive Barker. These guys were the best to do it, and they did it right.
@SMUS16475 · 115 likesto this day, still one of the scariest movies i have ever seen
@crysjumar1 · 30 likes"Trust is a hard thing to come by these days."
@maximpact24 · 102 likes0:43 unused take of Palmer screaming before his transformation, which explains the screaming that was heard before the other men started freaking out.
@MrTxBunB · 42 likes
