Almost forty years ago in June 1982, the horror sci-fi genre was changed forever. That month saw the release of the classic John Carpenter film, The Thing. Now, fans will get another chance to see it on the big screen, as Fathom Events and Universal Pictures have teamed up to rerelease it in theaters, just in time for the fortieth anniversary.
The film featured a cast of Kurt Russell, Wilford Brimley, T. K. Carter, David Clennon, Keith David, Richard Dysart, Charles Hallahan, Peter Maloney, Richard Masur, Donald Moffat, Joel Polis, and Thomas G. Waites as a team of researchers in a remote facility in Antarctica who find themselves being hunted by an alien that takes the form of its victims. The film is based on the 1938 short story “Who Goes There?” by John W. Campbell Jr.
When The Thing first hit theaters, it did poorly at the box office due. It was largely panned by critics and had the unfortunate circumstance of opening a few weeks after another film about an alien, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. However, it later gained a second life on home video and television airings. By the late 90s, it had achieved cult classic status and today is largely cited as one of the most influential horror films of all time. Guillermo Del Toro, J.J. Abrams, and Quentin Tarantino are among the many directors who directly cite The Thing as being a huge inspiration to them as filmmakers. The film is also largely remembered for its groundbreaking creature designs and special effects from Academy Award-nominated special effect artist Rob Bottin (Robocop, Total Recall) with some designs coming from Academy Award-winning special effects artist Stan Winston (Jurassic Park, The Terminator).
.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=1500&dpr=1.5)
The Fathom Events presentation of The Thing will also treat fans with vintage, behind-the-scenes footage from The Thing: Terror Takes Shape, a making-of documentary that was originally included on the 1998 DVD release of the film. The Thing will be coming to participating theaters on two days June 19 and June 22, with showtimes at 3 P.M. and 7 P.M. depending on the theater.
Fans can purchase their tickets to see The Thing on Fathom Events’ website or at participating theater’s box offices. Thanks to Fathom’s Digital Broadcast Network more than 800 movie theaters across the U.S. will be given another chance to see the film on the big screen. A complete list of participating theaters can be found on the Fathom Events website.
Check your local participating theaters here and buy tickets to see the 1982 horror cult classic The Thing back on the big screen.
Read Next
About The Author
