Blumhouse Developing New Version of ‘The Thing’

Not sure if this is good or abd news, but apparently there is a remake of The Thing on it’s way from Universal and Blumhouse. Whilst there will be many fans of John Carpenter’s film that are foaming at the mouth over the news, the studios are justifying the move with a “closer to the source material” approach. But surely after two films, the 1951 film adaption The Thing from Another World and Carpenters 1982 effort, there’s not much more to explore? Well, apparently so.

American writer John W. Campbell, Jr. wrote the novella Who Goes There? in 1938, being first published in the science fiction magazine Astounding Science Fiction. But here’s the interesting bit. In 2018, it was found that Who Goes There? was actually a shortened version of a larger novel previously written by Campbell. It was discovered  in a box of manuscripts sent by Campbell to Harvard University. It’s this extended version of the story, along with an entirely different opening, that will be adapted into a new film.

A kickstarter campaign in 2018 aimed to raise $1,000, in order to publish the full story titled Frozen Hell, but raised a staggering $155,000. With  so much interest in this version of the story, it’s easy to see why Blumhouse are interested in reviving the property. The Kickstarter campaign had the following description…

In 1938, acclaimed science fiction author John W. Campbell published the novella Who Goes There?, about a team of scientists in Antarctica who discover and are terrorized by a monstrous, shape-shifting alien entity. The story would later be adapted into John Carpenter’s iconic movie The Thing (following an earlier film adaptation in 1951). The published novella was actually an abridged version of Campbell’s original story, called Frozen Hell, which had to be shortened for publication. The Frozen Hell manuscript remained unknown and unpublished for decades, and it was only recently rediscovered. Frozen Hell expands the Thing story dramatically, giving vital backstory and context to an already incredible tale. We are pleased and honored to offer Frozen Hell to you now, as Campbell intended it. 

The news of the film was dropped by Producer Alan Donnes over on facebook with the message

It’s OFFICIAL! I received my signed contract and first check! I am Executive Producing a remake of THE THING but with additional chapters of John Campbell’s groundbreaking novel, Frozen Hell, that had been lost for decades.

Now, for the first time ever, Campbell’s full vision will be realized on the big screen. The new film will include the very best of RKO’s THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD, John Carpenter’s classic THE THING and both books, Frozen Hell and Who Goes There?

But hey Horror Fans, that’s not all! A sequel novel is currently underway in the hands of author John Gregory Betancourt. So it looks like Hollywood is going to be busy with body stealing aliens for a few fair few years to come. 

What do you think? Angry, sad or somewhere in between? Let us know in the comments below.