The Thing (1982)
Anytime. Anywhere. Anyone.
A research team in Antarctica is hunted by a shape-shifting alien that assumes the appearance of its victims.
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| Type | Movie |
|---|---|
| Released | 25 June 1982 |
| Genre | Horror, Mystery, Science Fiction |
| Director | John Carpenter |
| Starring | Kurt Russell, Wilford Brimley and T.K. Carter |
| Runtime | 109 min |
| Rated | R |
| Scores | Rotten Tomatoes (average) 7.5/10 · Rotten Tomatoes 85% · Metacritic 57/100 · IMDb 8.2/10 · TMDB users 8.1/10 |
| Budget | $15 million |
| Box office | $20 million worldwide |
Where to watch The Thing
The Thing is streaming on Prime Video ($8.99 a month) in the US. If that is the only reason to subscribe, one month of Prime Video is $8.99 at list price.
We check availability daily. Page last updated 27 October 2026. Prices are standard monthly plans and change often, so check with the service before you sign up.
Rent or buy
You can rent or buy The Thing on Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube and Fandango at Home.
Where to watch The Thing in 25 other countries
| Country | Streaming on (price a month) |
|---|---|
| Albania | SkyShowtime about |
| Andorra | SkyShowtime |
| Bosnia & Herzegovina | SkyShowtime about |
| Bulgaria | SkyShowtime €6.99 |
| Canada | Prime Video $9.99 CAD |
| Croatia | SkyShowtime €8.99 |
| Czechia | SkyShowtime 259 Kč |
| Denmark | SkyShowtime 109 kr DKK |
| Finland | SkyShowtime €9.99 |
| Gibraltar | Prime Video |
| Guernsey | Prime Video |
| Hungary | SkyShowtime 2590 Ft |
| Ireland | Prime Video €6.99 |
| Japan | U-NEXT ¥2189 JPY |
| Netherlands | SkyShowtime €9.99 |
| Norway | SkyShowtime 109 kr NOK |
| Poland | SkyShowtime 34.99 zł |
| Portugal | SkyShowtime €8.99 |
| Romania | SkyShowtime about 37.44 lei |
| Serbia | SkyShowtime about 1058 din |
| Slovakia | SkyShowtime €8.99 |
| Slovenia | SkyShowtime €8.99 |
| Spain | SkyShowtime €8.99 |
| Sweden | SkyShowtime 109 kr SEK |
| United Kingdom | Prime Video £8.99 GBP |
Subscription, free and ad-supported services we track; prices where Binge Boss has a price list for the country. "About" marks a price the service bills in another currency, converted at the day's rate. All countries as data.
What kind of watch this is
John Carpenter’s 1982 film runs 109 minutes of paranoia in a frozen research station. The hook is simple: everyone might be a monster, and you cannot tell. It is a mystery wrapped in body horror, where the true threat is not the alien but the lack of trust between the crew. The tagline says "Anytime. Anywhere. Anyone," which is less marketing and more threat level. It asks you to question every face in the room. That is a fair amount of anxiety for a single evening.
What the critics said
Critics found the film cold, citing a cynical tone and effects that drowned out drama. Rotten Tomatoes gives it an 85% Tomatometer score as of January 2026, while Metacritic sits at 57. A 7.5 average user rating on Rotten Tomatoes dates from October 2021, and IMDb lists an 8.2 weighted average from February 2026. Early reviews were harsh. Newsweek's David Ansen argued the film "sacrifices everything at the altar of gore." The New York Times' Vincent Canby called it entertaining only if you need spider-legged heads.
How it did with audiences
The film spent $15 million to make and pulled in $20 million worldwide. It opened with $3.1 million across 840 theaters, landing at number eight behind Poltergeist. Audiences gave it an 8.2/10 on IMDb as of February 2026. It wasn't a failure, but it wasn't a hit either.
What came next for the cast
Kurt Russell arrived from Escape from New York and left for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. The credits do not connect those dots. Wilford Brimley went from The China Syndrome to The Firm, a span that defies simple narrative. David Clennon moved from Being There to Gone Girl. T.K. Carter’s arc is quieter, stretching from Southern Comfort to Runaway Train. The industry does not explain these shifts. It simply records them.
If you liked this
TMDB's recommendations for people who watched The Thing.
Read more: Alien: Covenant · Prometheus
Sources
- The Thing on TMDB — synopsis, cast, ratings and recommendations
- Wikidata Q210756 — review scores, box office and awards (CC0)
- “The Thing (1982 film)” on Wikipedia, by its contributors (history) — reception, audience figures and legacy, summarised and adapted here under CC BY-SA 4.0
- Where to watch and prices: Binge Boss, from TMDB watch-provider data (powered by JustWatch) and our own provider list
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