When we spoke to John Carpenter a couple of years ago, the topic of 'The Thing' came up and the initial negative reaction was something that the legendary director was still clearly stung by.
Granted, the movie has - correctly - been reappraised as a modern classic and one of the greatest horror movies ever made, but the prospect of a sequel is something JC isn't interested in the slightest. While you might think that it's down to the fact that the ending of 'The Thing' is left purposefully ambiguous, Carpenter told EW in a recent interview that the reason for his lack of interest is far more simple.
It's way too difficult to make a movie in the Arctic, Carpenter explained. The famously taciturn director said that while he'd "love to direct something, if it’s the right thing to do at my age," the realities of heading into extreme weather is too much for him to bear. "I’m not going to make another Thing, I’ll tell you that. I’m not going to the Arctic again. I’m not going to do that. I want to take it easy. I want to enjoy myself!"
Carpenter hasn't directed a movie since 2010's 'The Ward', which starred Amber Heard and Mamie Gummer, however there was talk last year that he was involved in a TV pilot with David Hayter - best known either as the writer of 'X-Men 2' or the original voice of Solid Snake, depending on who you ask.
Still, Carpenter is involved with 'Halloween' and contributed both as an executive producer and composer for Danny McBride and David Gordon Green's hotly anticipated sequel, so it's not all bad. Come to think of it, a sequel to 'The Thing' would be a terrible idea anyway.
See? John Carpenter knows what he's doing.