John W. Campbell’s 1938 novella Who Goes There? has been adapted into three movies titled The Thing, and here’s how they stack up, worst to best. It’s common for most great literary horror stories to get adapted into movies, but a more elite group of tales proves so timeless that they get told and retold for different generations of moviegoers. There have been countless versions of Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Stephen King novels like IT, The Shining, Pet Sematary, and Carrie have been adapted multiple times. Jack Finney’s Invasion of the Body Snatchers has been adapted into four different films, and as mentioned, Who Goes There? has received three adaptations.
While every such remake brings with it a certain level of fan apprehension and derision, there are plenty of instances where a subsequent adaptation attempt has measured up to or even surpassed the first. They may not be the majority, but the common impression that remakes or re-adaptations are always bad is definitely not a fair one.
So, with a fourth adaptation of Who Goes There? - based on a long-lost longer version of the story called Frozen Hell - in the works, it seems like a good time to revisit the prior three versions of The Thing. Here’s a full ranking, from worst to best.
3. The Thing (2011)
This 2011 adaptation of The Thing is technically a prequel to the 1982 John Carpenter film, but in actuality, it basically functions as a remake. While there are some clever nods to what fans know will happen in the future, the plot has most of the same beats, and again focuses on the crew stationed at a remote Antarctic research base as they fight for survival against the titular shape-shifting alien. It’s really not too bad a movie, and has a strong cast, but at the same time, really doesn’t bring much new to the table. Also, the absolutely terrible CGI effects pale in comparison to the practical monsters that populate Carpenter’s version, and are sure to disappoint horror devotees.
2. The Thing from Another World (1951)
It’s worth mentioning that there may well be a portion of audiences who find the 2011 The Thing to be better than this first adaptation, released in 1951. Being a 1950s film, The Thing from Another World can come off quite cheesy by today’s standards, and the pace can feel a bit languid. The monster also isn’t very scary when looked at through a modern lens. Still, it’s not fair to judge such an old film by what audiences are used to today. Those with the patience needed to watch it play out will be rewarded by an interesting story, characters worth spending time with, cool sci-fi concepts, and some very tense moments. There’s a reason this was selected for the U.S. National Film Registry.
1. The Thing (1982)
As good as The Thing from Another World is, there’s no doubt that John Carpenter’s 1982 masterpiece The Thing betters it in every way. It’s possible that Carpenter wouldn’t agree though, as his fandom of the first adaptation of Who Goes There? is what inspired him to direct a remake. Carpenter’s take is actually a lot closer to John W. Campbell’s book, and features better acting, a better score, tighter plotting, and of course some of the most amazing practical monster effects ever committed to film. The Frozen Hell movie has its work cut out for it.
More: The Thing Spoils Its Monster After 5 Minutes (But Not If You’re English)
