The Thing Prequel [2011]

Here's what we know about the highly-anticipated Thing prequel thus far:

- It starts filming on March 15 this year in Toronto. No release date has been set as yet, but a late 2010 release date is possible.

- No actors have been cast as yet.

- It is directed by Matthijs van Heijningen Jr.

- What else did he direct? Um, commercials . . .

- The new movie is simply known as "The Thing" - for now. The title can obviously be changed closer to its final release date.

- It is indeed a prequel and not a sequel or a remake.

- It is set at the doomed Norwegian Antarctic base we saw at the beginning of the 1982 movie. It focuses on the group of scientists that thawed out the shape-shifting alien "Thing" from the ice and got killed for their efforts.

- Script writer Eric Heisserer said in an interview that they went to great lengths to be faithful to the events depicted in the original movie:

"It's a really fascinating way to construct a story because were doing it by autopsy, by examining very, very closely everything we know about the Norwegian camp and about the events that happened there from photos and video footage that's recovered from a visit to the base. The director, producer and I have gone through it countless times marking, you know, there's a fire axe in the door, we have to account for that . . . were having to reverse engineer it, so those details all matter to us 'cause it all has to make sense."

- Here's the official plot synopsis:

"In a remote Antarctica outpost, an alien spaceship is discovered far beneath the ice. When a group of ambitious scientists decide to thaw out one of the creatures inside, they're in for the terrifying fight of their lives . . ."

- Eric Heisserer has rewritten the screenplay by Ronald D. Moore (who did the recent Battlestar Galactica revival).

- Rumors have it that Moore's draft featured the brother of R.J. MacReady, who was played by Kurt Russell in the first film. This character is no longer in the new movie.

- It may be a Norwegian base, but in fact only one of the three main characters is actually Norwegian. The other two are both English-speaking and one is American.

- So who are all the characters? Dark Horizons provided the following handy synopsis:

"There's the 40-something expedition leader, a greedy scientist with plans to use the creature for fame and fortune. There's the ruggedly handsome 30-something pilot/mercenary who reminds the lead girl of her father and becomes her partner. Then there's the girl herself whose at constantly at odds with the expedition leader and becomes the woman who must stop the Thing's potential escape to the outside."

- For more info on all the characters, click here.


We loved the underappreciated 1982 John Carpenter classic, but think a remake will be pointless. Want to know how the movie ends? They all die . . . Why not a sequel instead as the Thing is let loose on nearby New Zealand? We'd pay good money to see that!

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- Rumors have it that Moore's draft featured the brother of R.J. MacReady, who was played by Kurt Russell in the first film. This character is no longer in the new movie.

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Director Matthijs Van Heijningen is gearing up for a March shoot of Strike Entertainment and Universal Pictures' The Thing in Toronto, Canada, and Bloody Disgusting has got a small new piece of information for ya. Apparently, the studio is using Eric Heisserer's (A Nightmare on Elm Street) version of the screenplay that begins when an alien spaceship is discovered far beneath the ice near a remote Antarctica outpost. We're told that a group of scientists decide to thaw out a creature from inside that kicks off the mayhem at the camp. It is said to be a prequel, check out our exclusive interview with Heisserer for more info. John Carpenter's 1982 film of the same name was a remake of the 1951 The Thing from Another World.

Breakdown from Spoilers TV:

[KATE LLOYD] In her late 20s to early 30s, pretty, bright-eyed, intelligent, she's a graduate of Columbia and a Ph.D. candidate in paleontology (the study of prehistoric life). On the recommendation of her friend Adam Goodman, Kate is tapped for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity by Dr. Sander Halvorson to join his research team in Antarctica, where an extraordinary discovery has been made. Upon arrival, Kate soon finds herself at odds with Halvorson about how best to proceed with the discovery -- an alien spaceship with a mysterious and sinister frozen THING found nearby -- specifically whether to transfer the specimen undisturbed to a more appropriate facility for analysis, or, per Halvorson's wishes, to drill into the specimen's ice encasement for a definitive tissue sample. Kate's misgivings about her involvement grow when Halvorson ignores her advice and collects his tissue sample -- a critical error in judgment that ultimately frees the trapped organism and triggers a series of horrific incidents and attacks. Furthering her sense of isolation, most of the scientists at the site speak Norwegian, a language she doesn't understand. Kate looks to her friend, Adam, for help stopping Sander's obsession from getting them all killed, but eventually must take matters of life and death into her own hands. In the end, her only hope of survival is to join forces with Sam Carter, the chopper pilot who flew her team to the remote Norwegian base...LEAD (2)

[DR. SANDER HALVORSON] In his late 30s to early 50s, austere, scholarly and imperious, he's a microbiologist from NYU who leads a science research team to Antarctica to help his old friend Edvard interpret and analyze an extraordinary discovery made beneath the ice. Sander, a brilliant scientist and a master of self-promotion, knows that his involvement in such an historic discovery will bring him fame and fortune. Blinded by ambition, he refuses to abandon the "project" even as the bodies pile up around him. He is annoyed when Kate, whom he considers more of an apprentice than an equal, disagrees with him and openly questions his decisions in front of the others...LEAD. Actor must be able to speak some Norwegian. (2)

[SAM CARTER] In his early 30s, rugged, handsome, blue-collar, he's a helicopter pilot with a private charter service that transports personnel and supplies from McMurdo Station to remote research sites across Antarctica. Carter is a mercenary. He flies when he wants, where he wants, and he flies for one reason: money. But his resourcefulness, experience and get-it-done mentality make him indispensable. Arriving at Thule Station, he is the first to suspect something strange and dangerous is going on. Trapped there by faulty equipment, he becomes an unlikely ally of Kate's -- he reminds her (in temperament) of her father, now deceased, also a pilot. He and his co-pilot Jameson are nearly killed in a helicopter crash as they attempt to leave under less than ideal conditions. Carter must ultimately join forces with Kate to stop the THING's rampage...LEAD (3)

[EDVARD WOLNER] In his mid 40s, gentle, erudite, loyal to a fault, this Norwegian geoscientist and his crew discovered an alien spaceship and a mysterious frozen THING buried in a deep crevasse in Antarctica. Edvard requested the assistance of his colleague Dr. Sander Halvorson and he's pleased to see his old friend arrive at the site. Both men have stars in their eyes, knowing that their combined findings will bring them fame in the scientific community, but after Edvard loses two of his men to the terrifying THING, he's ready to call it quits rather than risk more lives.sptv050769..SUPPORTING. Actor must speak Norwegian. (16)

[ADAM GOODMAN] In his early 30s, clever, brash, unapologetically ambitious, Adam comes to Antarctica as Halvorson's research assistant. A friend of Kate's since they were undergrads at Columbia, it is Adam who recommended her to Dr. Halvorson. Though his respect for Kate is genuine, ultimately, he is a likeable opportunist who believes his professional association with the esteemed Dr. Halvorson will advance his career. The trip to Antarctica appears, at first, to prove this theory correct. Unlike Kate, an idealist who makes decisions based on intuition and conscience, Adam is more of a pragmatist and a capitalist -- in scientist's clothing. As the circumstances turn more and more dire, Adam is forced to choose between ambition (Halvorson) or friendship (Kate). His survival hangs in the balance...SUPPORTING (2)

[DEREK JAMESON] In his early 30s, African American, well-built, he is Carter's friend and co-pilot. This is Jameson's last season in Antarctica. He's moving to Florida and starting a jetboat business with his brother, a former big league prospect. The trip to Thule Station is just another flight for him, another day in the countdown before he leaves the South Pole. Trapped at the site with Carter when the helicopter malfunctions, Jameson eventually falls prey to the THING...SUPPORTING (3)

[JONAS] This Norwegian man in his early 40s, who speaks with a thick accent is part of Edvard's crew. He's the team documentarian who takes flash photographs of the alien spaceship and plays poker with Colin to blow off steam. When the Thing begins wreaking havoc, Jonas decides to get the hell out of there, but the rest of the group stymies that plan...SUPPORTING (18) Submit Scandinavian actors only.

[JULIETTE] In her early 30s, French, fluent in Norwegian, she was educated at the Oslo Geosciences Academy, and is one of the geologists who discovered the alien site in Antarctica. Sensing Kate's frustration with the language barrier, Juliette befriends her, providing helpful translations and a kind smile among strangers. As the story escalates toward crisis, Juliette convinces Kate that her colleague Lars has succumbed to the THING -- as a trick to conceal her own identity as the alien shape-shifter...SUPPORTING (17)

[COLIN] Around 40 years old, quirky and a bit cynical, he sews some seeds of doubt and suspicion among his new colleagues, Kate and Adam, and he plays poker with Jonas to blow off steam. Colin would rather commit suicide than be consumed by the THING...SUPPORTING (27) Submit British, East Indian, Spanish, Asian, etc, scientist types"

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Roy Winstone is close to being signed on as the lead norwegian in a role that would echo Macreadys. Clive Owen was mentioned but nothing ever eventuated from that.

The other 2 notable stars will be Sean Bean and LL Cool J. The rest of the team will be semi famous bilingual norwegian actors who i cant remember nor had heard of previously.
Kristianna Loken is meant to play the sole female character of the film apparently but they are having massive problems with the actress, im not sure if its pay or behavioural or whatever. Producers want her bad but i dont know why.

The film starts with the team celebrating new years (how ironic given the timing of this post) between 1981/82, interrupted with a flashlight coming from a distant hill in the darkness.

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Uncanny Antman said:

Fifty bucks says it'll take a fan edit to make this prequel actually mesh properly with the details of the '82 film.

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Metrostar said:

The twist at the end will be us finding out that there are more of these things. Either hundreds of them underground near the base, or others dotted somewhere round the planet. Then they can make another one with one or more of these other things in it. That's what I think.

I'd watch it.

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elbarto1 said:

This is so easy to get right if they watch the original and follow what was established

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