The Thing 2 - John Carpenter Rekindles Hope

The possibility of returning to the sequel to The Thing has not yet vanished. John Carpenter responded with an unexpected “we’re working on it” when, during a fan Q&A, he was asked about the development of a sequel to his 1982 horror cult classic. Immediately after, the director downplayed the significance of his words: “I don’t know. We’ll see.”

So there is no officially announced project yet, nor have cast members, director, or release date been communicated. However, Carpenter's comment gains weight because it comes after other statements about the possible return of the alien creature.

A sequel still seems possible

The most natural starting point would be that unanswered ending, with MacReady and Childs isolated among the burning ruins of the base and unable to tell which of them is still human. A continuation could pick up right from that moment, but Carpenter has not provided any indication about the story.

Furthermore, it wouldn't be the first time the franchise returns to the big screen: in 2011, Matthijs van Heijningen Jr.'s The Thing recounted, quite respectably, the events preceding the 1982 film. For now, then, The Thing 2 remains a possibility. But after decades of waiting, those few words from Carpenter are enough to at least rekindle hope for a sequel.