Jan 29 2009Universal Making Another Movie About a Thing
I hope you're ready for more non-descript terror, people, because The Thing is returning to the screen in an all-new, more computer-generated form:
Universal will add a new chapter to "The Thing," lining up another take on the paranoid horror classic most recently brought to the screen by John Carpenter in 1982.Studio has set "Battlestar Galactica" exec producer Ron Moore to write the script and commercials director Matthijs Van Heijningen to direct the re-imagining.
New project borrows heavily from the John W. Campbell Jr. short story "Who Goes There," the basis of the Carpenter film and 1951 Howard Hawks original "The Thing From Another World."
It is set in a Norwegian camp and chronicles how the shape-shifting alien was first discovered and overcame the inhabitants of that camp.
The Thing will be Van Heijningen's film directing debut, though he has shot commercials for Pepsi, Heinekin, Bud Light, and others. So even if he can't make a film that lives up to its predecessors, at least he'll nail the scene where the alien shapeshifts into a variety of refreshing beverages.
(Thanks for alerting, Dr. Venkman.)
Universal bringing back 'The Thing' [Variety]
Reader Comments
1. Brian - January 29, 2009 2:44 PM
First.... and foremost I'd like to say I liked the original.
See what I did there? I managed to say first... and be topical. I rule.
2. Jonathan - January 29, 2009 3:46 PM
Hmm..the original is a hands down classic with great special effects even for today. Another movie ruined by CGI
3. DrNecropolis - January 29, 2009 4:00 PM
Personally, I can't wait.
"Hey, Sweden!!!"
"They're Norwegian MacReady..."
4. Connor - January 29, 2009 4:09 PM
With Ron Moore being involved it could be really great. Or make you doubt your humanity. Or both.
5. James - January 29, 2009 4:43 PM
Ehhh. I feel like the 1982 version benefited from not having the option of CGI - it's almost as if the constraints of the special effects at the time forced them to be more creative, and to give the Thing a look that just worked. I feel like the John Carpenter version, had it been done with the CGI of today, wouldn't look as good as the original - so I doubt a remake will be any good.
6. Joe - January 29, 2009 5:06 PM
A remake would be lame. The old black and white was a classic, and Carpenter's take was excellent.
I still remember as a kid crapping my pants when Dr. Cooper got his hands and wrists chomped off by the "belly jaw". Something I was not expecting, and nightmare fuel no doubt. Still to this day, one of the most creative horror sequences.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCGyeV8p-fc
And how would CGI improve the dog turning into the bug? It wouldn't. Animatronics and props and such are most costly, but are more visceral than fake CGI stuff.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=liS2csDM25Y&feature=related
"You're gonna have to sleep sometime, MacReady..."
"I'm a real light sleeper, Childs..."
7. Matt - January 29, 2009 7:08 PM
Hmmm this is pretty cool...I really really enjoyed the original and is still to this day creepy as FUCK! I agree with using animatronics and that it looks more "real" than CGI...but come on guys...no one will ever use animatronics again...lets face it :( As long as they keep the desperation feel of the original and make it gory as fuck like the original then it could be alright :)
8. T-Diddy - January 29, 2009 9:05 PM
Eh, who wrote that press release? It's F$#%ing wrong - the movie isn't set in a Norwegian camp - it's set in an American camp that gets infected by the blasted Norwegians, who (unlike Kurt Russell) don't know #$%& about killing aliens!
9. Pop-Monkey - January 30, 2009 12:54 AM
T-Diddy, they were referring to the plot of the upcoming film, not the Carpenter version.
THE THING is one of the few beloved artifacts of my childhood that still holds most of its luster and hasn't been cash-raped into insignificance (i.e. ALIEN and PREDATOR). They'd BETTER not wonk this one up. I'm not going to be narrow and caustic enough to condemn them for utilizing CG in this new movie (they'd be foolish not to), but I'd like to see a nice mix of traditional and CG effects. Face it, there are some cool, creepy things they could depict the Thing doing that simply cannot be achieved with on-camera effects. To go above and beyond the original, they're going to have to up the ante, but I want that to be done with the script/plot as well as the effects.
I do wonder how they're going to get around the language factor. Having the entire thing set in the Norweigian camp will either mean subtitles or a less-than-authentic English-spoken script, which wouldn't really make sense. I can't see them taking the gamble on having the entire movie be a subtitled affair, though. Not that I'd mind, but the studio suits certainly would.
10. Nick - January 30, 2009 8:49 AM
This makes me sad.
11. darkpassenger - January 30, 2009 12:45 PM
NO! NO! NO! The john carpenter one cannot be bettered they'll mes it and spoil another classic.HEY thats why they are called a classic right?when are we going to see somthing truly original?
12. Blairmuncher Jo - August 4, 2009 11:10 PM
I thought the remake of The Thing was the new Kate Bakingsale film WHITEOUT.
13. Nauls - September 7, 2009 2:26 AM
Ok, I just finished watching it again for the hundredth time, which made me google it out of curosity, finding this info. As Nick said, this makes me sad, How Many times have we seen this happen already and utterly fail?? This is the one movie I had hoped the present day hollywood money making machine would stay away from and not ruin. I can see it now. It will contain much of what modern day remakes have that ruins a film: Bad,bad acting with super model looking women who would in no way be in a climate like that under any circumstance, that can't even scream realistically. An idiotic story line and bad GC effects. (hangs head in mourning)