Release OrderRecommended
0 / 3 watchedRelease order. The 2011 film is a prequel, so the second list reorders it for story order.
Standalone adaptation
- 1 The Thing from Another World Hawks-produced Arctic original with James Arness as the creature. The later films do not continue it.
Carpenter continuity
- 2 The Thing Carpenter's Antarctic remake with Kurt Russell. The center of the franchise.
- 3 The Thing Prequel about the Norwegian camp that ends where the 1982 film starts. Released last, set first.
Chronological Order
0 / 3 watchedStory order for the Carpenter continuity, with the standalone 1951 film placed last.
Carpenter continuity
- 1 The Thing Set at the Norwegian base in the days before the 1982 film.
- 2 The Thing MacReady and the American crew. Works just as well watched before the prequel.
Standalone adaptation
- 3 The Thing from Another World Separate telling of Campbell's story, outside the 1982 timeline.
About The Thing
Howard Hawks's The Thing from Another World (1951) and John Carpenter's The Thing (1982) tell the same basic story in very different ways, and neither needs the other.
Matthijs van Heijningen's The Thing (2011) is a direct prequel to the 1982 film that ends where Carpenter's begins.
Good to know
Blumhouse has discussed a new take based on Frozen Hell, the longer version of Campbell's story, and Carpenter teased a possible sequel in October 2025. Nothing has a cast, director or date as of September 17, 2026, so it stays out of the list.
