The Thing prequel ending that could have been…

Last Updated on August 5, 2021

THE THING (2011) spoilers ahead…

Call me a heretic, but I really enjoyed THE THING (2011). Sure it had problems, namely thin characters and an overabundance of CGI in place of prosthetic effects, but I got taken in by the prequel’s meticulous attention to detail and Joel Edgerton’s hardened performance as Carter. This is why, with mixed emotions, I report to you a video detailing the alternate ending that could have been.

According to effects house studioADI, Mary Elizabeth Winstead’s assault on the The Thing’s space ship was supposed to uncover a SECOND alien species on board:

The scripted ending to The Thing (2011) featured Kate inside the spacecraft, discovering the mummified remains of the pilot who first brought the craft to Earth, unleashing the Thing. A second pilot, still alive, attacks just as it mutates into a Thing version of itself.

Shot but ultimately discarded in favor of a different direction, it gave us a great opportunity to design and build a unique alien life form and then push it into Thing territory when it changes. A full size animatronic/rod puppet provided physical elements on stage with a planned CG counterpart to flesh out the action. Watch The Thing Tom Woodruff Jr On Fire to see fire elements that were shot for what would have been the death of the CG pilot! All that burnin’ and nothing to do with it…

That would’ve of been a WAY ballsier reveal than the one we got in the final product. Not only that, but it would have used awesome practical effects in a way we didn’t get in the finished film. What do you guys think– would this have made THE THING (2011) a superior pre-make? Check out the video below for a look at the construction of the creature and its fire-y demise.