New Version Of Horror Classic The Thing In The Works, Adapted From Lost Original Novel

John W. Campbell's classic horror story Who Goes There? has to date been adapted for the screen three times--most notably by John Carpenter in his 1982 classic The Thing, but also as 1951's The Thing From Another World and 2011's The Thing. It has now been reported that a fourth movie version is on the way--and this one has a big difference.

Campbell's novella was published in 1938 and was in fact an abridged version of a longer unpublished book, titled Frozen Hell. The full version was discovered in 2018, in a box manuscripts that Campbell had sent to Harvard University before his death in 1971. Frozen Hell was finally published in April 2019 following a Kickstarter campaign--and now a movie adaptation of the longer work is in development.

The news originally was announced producer Allan Doones on Facebook. He stated: "It's official! I received my signed contract and first check! I am executive producing a remake of The Thing, but with additional chapters of John Campbell's groundbreaking novel, Frozen Hell, that had been lost for decades. Now, for the first time ever, Campbell's full vision will be realized on the big screen. The new film will include the very best of RKO's The Thing From Another World, John Carpenter's classic The Thing and both books, Frozen Hell and Who Goes There?"

Sci-fi writer John Betancourt, who launched Frozen Hell campaign, subsequently posted more about the project on the Kickstarter page, where he stated that Blumhouse Pictures, the highly successful production company behind horror hits such as The Purge, Get Out, and Us, would be involved. "The movie will be from Universal and Blumhouse," he said. "Everyone is super excited about it, and it's being fast-tracked."

While there has bee no official announcement from Blumhouse or Universal about the project, sources for horror site Bloody Disgusting have stated that "all of this is true."

Carpenter's The Thing was a critical and commercial failure on release back in 1982, but it is now considered a classic of the genre. The 2011 movie was technically a prequel to that movie. It was also a flop, and doesn't exactly show any signs being reappraised as a classic. For more check out GameSpot's guide to the biggest upcoming horror movies of 2020.