How scary is The Thing?

On our intensity scale, The Thing rates 4/5 for scares and 4/5 for dread. It is genuinely scary, with sustained tension and hard-hitting scares.

How gory is The Thing?

The Thing rates 5/5 for gore — expect extreme gore — not for the squeamish.

Where can I stream The Thing?

As of our last update, The Thing is streaming on Peacock in the US. Availability changes, so check your service before settling in.

The Thing

Name: The Thing
Director: John Carpenter
Genre: Body Horror, Creature, Isolation, Paranoia
Released: 1982
Rating: 8.2

1982 · Directed by John Carpenter

Body HorrorCreatureIsolationParanoia

IMDb8.2530k votes

RT85%critics

RT92%audience

MC57metascore

豆瓣8.279k votes

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Streaming on Peacock (US, subject to change)

▶ Watch the trailer

The vibe

Carpenter's Antarctic paranoia machine: twelve men, one shapeshifter, zero trust. Rob Bottin's practical effects remain the high-water mark for body horror, but the film's coldest weapon is the question it never answers — who's still human, including at the end.

Before you press play

How scary is The Thing?: On our intensity scale, The Thing rates 4/5 for scares and 4/5 for dread. It is genuinely scary, with sustained tension and hard-hitting scares.
How gory is The Thing?: The Thing rates 5/5 for gore — expect extreme gore — not for the squeamish.
Where can I stream The Thing?: As of our last update, The Thing is streaming on Peacock in the US. Availability changes, so check your service before settling in.