Celebrated actor Keith David has playfully addressed one of cinema’s most enduring mysteries throughout John Carpenter‘s Hollywood Stroll of Fame ceremony on April 3, 2025. Whereas honoring the legendary director’s contribution to movie, David opened his speech with a tongue-in-cheek reference to the famously ambiguous ending of 1982’s The Thing by declaring, “First, let me clear this up: it wasn’t me.” This assertion instantly addressed the four-decade-long debate amongst followers about whether or not David’s character Childs had been assimilated by the alien organism earlier than the movie’s closing scene. David’s lighthearted remark marks a uncommon occasion of anybody related to the manufacturing instantly addressing the deliberately unresolved finale that has stored viewers debating for generations.

Movies by ComicBook.com

Director Carpenter, honored at the ceremony for his extraordinary contributions to cinema, has steadfastly maintained the thriller of The Thing all through his profession. When requested instantly about the movie’s conclusion in a 2023 interview, Carpenter confirmed he is aware of the fact however said, “Can’t let you know. Sorry.” Kurt Russell beforehand revealed their in depth discussions about the ending, explaining how they settled on the uncertainty of the closing scene with Russell suggesting they conclude with, “Why don’t we simply sit right here for some time and see what occurs.” These guarded statements from the solid and crew have solely deepened the thriller surrounding the finale, remodeling The Thing‘s ending into a permanent cinematic puzzle.

[RELATED: 31 Years Later, John Carpenter Fans Are Finally Getting a Major Horror Surprise]

Launched between E.T. the Further-Terrestrial and Blade Runner in the summer season of 1982, The Thing initially failed each critically and commercially. The movie earned simply $19.6 million in opposition to its $15 million funds, practically ending Carpenter’s relationship with main studios. This harsh reception contrasts dramatically with the movie’s present standing as a masterpiece of horror cinema. House video and cable tv step by step launched The Thing to new audiences who appreciated Rob Bottin’s groundbreaking sensible results and the movie’s refined exploration of paranoia and id. Its journey from industrial disappointment to revered traditional represents one of cinema’s most dramatic crucial reappraisals, with up to date critics recurrently rating it amongst the biggest horror movies ever made.

How John Carpenter Revolutionized Horror

John Carpenter’s profession spans 5 a long time of groundbreaking contributions to cinema, firmly establishing him as one of horror’s most influential auteurs. Starting with 1976’s Assault on Precinct 13, Carpenter demonstrated his skill to create stress with minimal assets earlier than revolutionizing the slasher style with 1978’s Halloween. This low-budget impartial movie grossed over $70 million in opposition to a modest $300,000 funding, launching each his profession and that of star Jamie Lee Curtis whereas establishing many conventions of the fashionable horror movie. 

Following the Halloween breakthrough, Carpenter created quite a few influential works, together with Escape from New York, Christine, Starman, Huge Hassle in Little China, and They Stay (1988). His multifaceted skills prolonged past route to writing, composing, and sometimes modifying his personal movies. Carpenter’s distinctive synthesizer scores grew to become as iconic as his visible model, with the principal theme from Halloween remaining one of cinema’s most recognizable musical motifs. This mix of artistic management and distinctive imaginative and prescient earned him recognition as a real auteur regardless of working primarily in genres usually dismissed by critics. As such, his inclusion on the Hollywood Stroll of Fame is lengthy overdue.

The Thing is offered to stream without spending a dime on Tubi.

What’s your concept about who was human at the finish of The Thing? Share your ideas in the feedback!