John Carpenter’s 1982 sci-fi horror classic The Thing is widely regarded as one of the greatest films in the genre. Starring Kurt Russell, the movie follows a group of researchers in Antarctica who encounter a terrifying shape-shifting alien that assimilates and imitates other organisms. The Thing is praised for its masterful building of paranoia and tension, groundbreaking practical effects, and existential dread.
If you’re a fan of The Thing’s icy atmosphere, memorable creature design, and themes of isolation and mistrust, here are 15 other movies I highly recommend checking out for a similarly chilling viewing experience. These films span many decades but all capture a bit of The Thing’s magic.
1. Alien (1979)
Ridley Scott’s Alien is a groundbreaking sci-fi horror masterpiece that paved the way for movies like The Thing. The story follows the crew of the space tug Nostromo as they investigate a distress signal on an uncharted moon. They unwittingly bring a deadly alien creature onboard that stalks them one by one.
Like The Thing, Alien creates an atmosphere of paranoia and dread as the characters are trapped in close quarters with a shape-shifting extraterrestrial threat. The creature and set designs by H.R. Giger are iconic and still hold up over 40 years later. Sigourney Weaver’s performance as Ripley launched her to stardom and spawned a massive franchise. But the original Alien is still the gold standard for claustrophobic sci-fi horror.
2. The Thing (2011)
The 2011 prequel to John Carpenter’s The Thing acts as both a remake and an origin story for the terrifying events at Outpost 31. It follows a Norwegian research team in Antarctica that uncovers an alien spacecraft and a mysterious organism frozen in the ice.
While not surpassing the original, this version offers updated creature effects and explores the story from a different angle. Fans will appreciate the references and ties to Carpenter’s film. And seeing the alien’s initial rampage is a thrilling ride, even if it retreads a lot of familiar beats. If you ever wondered what happened at that Norwegian camp, this prequel has the gory details.
3. The Hateful Eight (2015)
Quentin Tarantino’s The Hateful Eight is a Western thriller that pays homage to The Thing in some clever ways. A group of shady characters get stuck together in a remote cabin during a blizzard, not knowing who they can trust. Sound familiar?
With a tense, paranoid atmosphere, snowy setting, and score by Ennio Morricone, the similarities are clear. Even Kurt Russell shows up in a lead role. While not a horror movie, The Hateful Eight captures a lot of what makes The Thing so great – colorful characters with hidden agendas trapped together as secrets get revealed. Tarantino ratchets up the suspense, leading to a bloody conclusion.
4. Annihilation (2018)
Annihilation is a mind-bending sci-fi horror trip from director Alex Garland. Based on the novel by Jeff VanderMeer, it follows a team of scientists exploring a strange shimmering region called “The Shimmer” where plants and animals are mutating in bizarre ways.
Like The Thing, Annihilation features a small group facing an incomprehensible, ever-changing entity that warps biology itself. The dazzling visuals, unnerving creature designs, and haunting ending will stick with you long after the credits roll. With standout performances from Natalie Portman and Oscar Isaac, it’s a surreal and thought-provoking spin on the alien invasion story.
5. The Fly (1986)
David Cronenberg’s remake of The Fly is a tragic sci-fi horror love story wrapped in layers of gruesome practical effects. Jeff Goldblum stars as Seth Brundle, an eccentric scientist who accidentally fuses his DNA with a housefly while testing a teleportation device.
Cronenberg takes the silly premise of the original and transforms it into a heartbreaking meditation on disease, decay, and lost humanity. Like The Thing, The Fly features astounding creature effects as Brundle slowly mutates into a grotesque human-fly hybrid. It’s a visceral, stomach-churning experience anchored by Goldblum’s powerful lead performance. Not for the squeamish!
6. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)
The 1978 remake of Invasion of the Body Snatchers is a paranoid sci-fi thriller that taps into the same well of distrust and dread as The Thing. Alien spores rain down on San Francisco, spawning emotionless copies of the human residents as they sleep.
Donald Sutherland plays a health inspector who slowly uncovers the insidious plot with a growing sense of panic. Director Philip Kaufman employs unsettling sound design and creepy visuals to create an pervasive sense of wrongness as the invasion progresses. The chilling ending is an all-timer. It’s a classic for good reason.
7. The Mist (2007)
Frank Darabont’s adaptation of the Stephen King novella The Mist traps a group of people in a supermarket as a strange fog full of Lovecraftian monsters engulfs their town. While the creatures outside are terrifying, the real threat comes from the panicked people inside who turn on each other.
The Mist is a master class in human paranoia and mob mentality, with fear transforming average people into monsters. The creature effects are top-notch and the nihilistic tone feels in line with Carpenter’s bleak outlook. But it’s the shocking ending that really cements it as a modern horror classic. You’ll never forget it.
8. Slither (2006)
Slither is a loving homage to classic creature features with a comedic edge. When an alien parasite crashes in a small town, it infects the local residents, transforming them into ravenous zombie-like monsters under the alien’s hive mind control.
The movie gleefully smashes together elements of Night of the Creeps, Shivers, and The Thing into a gory, funny throwback. The always welcome Nathan Fillion leads the cast as the town sheriff trying to contain the slimy outbreak. With icky creature effects and quotable one-liners, Slither is a splatstick gem that invokes the spirit of 80s horror.
9. Prince of Darkness (1987)
John Carpenter’s Prince of Darkness often gets overlooked in his filmography, but it’s a creepy, fascinating blend of quantum physics, religion, and cosmic horror. A group of graduate students discovers that a mysterious cylinder containing swirling green liquid may be the physical embodiment of Satan.
As the students study the evil substance, it begins infecting them through their dreams, turning them into possessed drones. Like The Thing, Prince of Darkness traps its characters in an isolated location as a metaphysical threat reveals itself. With its unsettling visuals, synth score, and big ideas, it’s pure Carpenter.
10. The Void (2016)
The Void is a love letter to John Carpenter’s brand of squishy, surreal horror. When a group of people get trapped in a hospital by a mob of white-robed cultists, they find themselves in a waking nightmare of tentacles, gore, and occult madness.
With clear nods to The Thing, Prince of Darkness, and Hellraiser, The Void is a practical effects-driven freakout that goes to some extremely dark places. The plot can be confusing, but the nightmarish imagery and dread-soaked atmosphere make it a must-see for Carpenter fans. Throw logic out the window and strap in for the wild, bloody ride.
11. The Faculty (1998)
Robert Rodriguez’s The Faculty follows a group of high school students who suspect their teachers are being taken over by alien parasites. With the help of a nerdy sci-fi aficionado, they fight to stop the extraterrestrial invasion.
The Faculty has a stacked cast of 90s stars and a smart Kevin Williamson script that homages sci-fi horror classics like The Thing and Invasion of the Body Snatchers. The gooey creature effects are memorable and the mystery of who’s infected keeps you guessing. It’s like The Breakfast Club crossed with The Thing.
12. DeepStar Six (1989)
DeepStar Six is an underwater monster movie clearly inspired by Alien and The Thing. When a crew of engineers accidentally unleashes a prehistoric creature from the ocean floor, they find themselves trapped in their deep sea facility as it floods.
While derivative, DeepStar Six delivers some solid creature scares and claustrophobic sets. The monster itself, a crustacean-like beastie that can shoot its clawed tentacles, is a memorable menace. If you’re looking for another humans-under-siege movie with a watery twist, dive into this late 80s schlocker.
13. Leviathan (1989)
Leviathan is another deep sea creature feature with a serious Thing vibe. Peter Weller stars as the head of an underwater mining team who discovers a scuttled Soviet ship and a deadly mutagen that transforms their crew into slimy fish monsters.
With creature effects by Stan Winston and a tense, paranoid atmosphere as the miners get picked off, Leviathan is a fun, if formulaic, riff on the Alien template. Weller makes for a gruff, likable hero and the monster mayhem packs a squishy punch. It may be a B-movie, but it’s a well-made one.
14. Blood Glacier (2013)
The Austrian horror movie Blood Glacier (also known as The Station) is essentially The Thing on a mountain. When scientists discover a strange red liquid oozing from a glacier, it infects local wildlife, creating horrific mutant hybrids.
Blood Glacier wears its influences on its sleeve, from an Ennio Morricone-esque score to a bearded Kurt Russell lookalike as one of the leads. The creature designs are memorably icky and the snowy setting is appropriately isolated and eerie. It doesn’t rewrite the playbook, but it’s a solid foreign addition to the subgenre.
15. Harbinger Down (2015)
Harbinger Down is a crowdfunded love letter to the practical effects of the 80s, especially the work of Stan Winston and Rob Bottin. When grad students discover the frozen remains of the Soviet space program’s secret experiments in a capsule at the bottom of the ocean, they accidentally unleash shapeshifting alien organisms.
Directed by effects wizard Alec Gillis and starring Lance Henriksen, the movie is a showcase for gnarly creature effects done without CGI. The story is basic, but the monster mayhem is inspired. If you miss the days of rubber monsters and gallons of slime, Harbinger Down delivers the goopy goods.
So there you have it – 15 fantastic films to satisfy your craving for paranoid, oozy, claustrophobic horror after watching The Thing. Whether you want more icy alien action, underwater monsters, or gloopy body horror, this list has something to make your skin crawl. Just remember – watch closely, because you never know who might be sitting next to you…
