The Thing Prequel written by Ronald D. Moore

[chowyunskinny]

"The Thing" Prequel Thaws In March

Pre-production is slated to kick off in March on Universal Pictures' prequel to John Carpenter's 1982 cult classic "The Thing" reports Production Weekly.

The story will deal with the initial dredging up out of the ice of the shape-shifting alien life form by researchers at a Norwegian Antarctic facility.

Matthijs Van Hejningen helms the new film from a script by Ronald D. Moore and Eric Heisserer. Shooting runs from March till June in Toronto.

[Alpha OTS]

"The Thing" Prequel Thaws In March

Pre-production is slated to kick off in March on Universal Pictures' prequel to John Carpenter's 1982 cult classic "The Thing" reports Production Weekly.

The story will deal with the initial dredging up out of the ice of the shape-shifting alien life form by researchers at a Norwegian Antarctic facility.

Matthijs Van Hejningen helms the new film from a script by Ronald D. Moore and Eric Heisserer. Shooting runs from March till June in Toronto.

As long as he's written a beginning, middle, AND ENDING beforehand, it should be ok.

[reddsun1]

NNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!

I should have known. F'ing. HACKS. Bunch of godda*ned pretenders, standing on the shoulders of giants...

While the SFX might look dated by today's standards. Carpenter's The Thing is STILL a f'ing classic. It's arguably a film that elevated special effects in the horror film genre to high art.

Who could forget the blood test, or heart attack scenes? It was something of a "perfect storm," as films go; the cast, the story, the creepy film score--everything just came together to make for a memorable and damned good film. After having re-watched it not too long ago, I was able to look past the kick-ass-cool factor of the gore and mayhem, and appreciate the story and interaction between characters all the more.

And so many great lines...

--I know you gentlemen have been through a lot, but when you find the time, I'd rather not spend the rest of this winter TIED TO THIS FU*KING COUCH!

Edited January 4, 2010 by reddsun1

[Gubaba]

While the SFX might look dated by today's standards. Carpenter's The Thing is STILL a f'ing classic.

That's probably why it's a "prequel" and not a "remake."

[eugimon]

4 days into the new year before we started the bitch fest over a press release. That's gotta be some new record, right? I mean, can't believe we lasted over a half a week.

[reddsun1]

That's probably why it's a "prequel" and not a "remake."

Meh, it's still a story that doesn't need to be told. We need only watch the first 15-or-so minutes of Carpenter's movie to get that much.

What's the fun of that? We already know how it's gonna end.

Oh wait, what am I thinking? The bastards will probably change everything; the Norwegians probably won't all die, there'll be gunfights grenades and flamethrowers, 2 or 3 Things--and in the end another spacecraft will land, with Alien eggs on board, followed by Predators, to make for a new series tie-in and 3 or 4 more shi**y spin-offs...

[spacemanoeuvres]

Oh wait, what am I thinking? The bastards will probably change everything; the Norwegians probably won't all die, there'll be gunfights grenades and flamethrowers, 2 or 3 Things--and in the end another spacecraft will land, with Alien eggs on board, followed by Predators, to make for a new series tie-in and 3 or 4 more shi**y spin-offs...

hahaha AVP...VT

I have mixed feelings on this but I think you're probably right; this is a story that doesn't need to be told.

There are so many great sci fi stories out there that haven't been made into films...why so many dang prequels/sequels/remakes?

[Gubaba]

Meh, it's still a story that doesn't need to be told. We need only watch the first 15-or-so minutes of Carpenter's movie to get that much.

What's the fun of that? We already know how it's gonna end.

Oh wait, what am I thinking? The bastards will probably change everything; the Norwegians probably won't all die, there'll be gunfights grenades and flamethrowers, 2 or 3 Things--and in the end another spacecraft will land, with Alien eggs on board, followed by Predators, to make for a new series tie-in and 3 or 4 more shi**y spin-offs...

Well...perhaps they'll figure out something that radically changes what we thought the Norwegian base was like...maybe, for example, except for the two guys we see at the beginning of the 1982 movie, it was staffed entirely by the Swedish Bikini Team.

[nugundamII]

4 days into the new year before we started the bitch fest over a press release. That's gotta be some new record, right? I mean, can't believe we lasted over a half a week.

people are allowed to bitch as much as your allowed to bitch about the bitching

[eugimon]

people are allowed to bitch as much as your allowed to bitch about the bitching

I wasn't bitching, I was marveling at our restraint. I understand how that could be a difficult concept to grasp. See, one goes:

What's wrong with you people?

The other goes:

Congrats at not being internet douche bags for 4 whole days.

Congrats to you too BTW. My new years wishes to you, I hope you can save money on spackle, maybe buy it in industrial sized tubs?

[EXO]

Somehow Moore managed to make the shapeshifting asexual alien into a woman this time around.

[Ghost Train]

If this is RDM, I bet the alien entity will take a back seat to the human relationship intricacies that will develop within the Norwegian research facility.... who fracks/ed who? Who is an cylon alien? Who gets flushed out the airlock the artic wilderness.

[taksraven]

"The Thing" Prequel Thaws In March

Pre-production is slated to kick off in March on Universal Pictures' prequel to John Carpenter's 1982 cult classic "The Thing" reports Production Weekly.

The story will deal with the initial dredging up out of the ice of the shape-shifting alien life form by researchers at a Norwegian Antarctic facility.

Matthijs Van Hejningen helms the new film from a script by Ronald D. Moore and Eric Heisserer. Shooting runs from March till June in Toronto.

Do not want.

Taksraven

[reddsun1]

If this is RDM, I bet the alien entity will take a back seat to the human relationship intricacies that will develop within the Norwegian research facility.... who fracks/ed who? Who is an cylon alien? Who gets flushed out the airlock the artic wilderness.

Ug, which is precisely why I stopped watching the new BSG.

Is there still such a thing as the Actors/Writers Guild in Hollywood? Seriously, these guys need to have their membership cards taken and cut up.

"Shooting runs from March till June in Toronto." Which means it'll all be done in-studio--or worse yet, all green-screen. What a load of crap.

Godda**it, at least Kurt Russel, Keith David et al put in work to give us a great sci-fi/horror flick. They froze thier a$$es off in the wilds of British Columbia, shooting on-location. While Antarctica it ain't, there's still just something altogether more satisfying/immersive about movies that are filmed on a real location rather than a closed studio set.

Apparently, the burned up camp has sat unmolested all these years, save for some determined fans who trekked out to it to get souvenirs. One of them has a piece of the blown up Bell 'copter. Gawd, I just love all the inane trivia on imdb dot com...

Edited January 4, 2010 by reddsun1

[eugimon]

three months is average for a hollywood movie, so there's a slim chance it won't be all green screen, but since it's shooting in toronto, there's every chance it will look like every planet Sg-1 has ever investigated.

Besides, since it's a prequel, the burned up camp set probably won't be much use to them.

and, just for kicks...

The Thing, itself was a REMAKE. It also took 3 months to shoot and it DID shoot on sound stages, six of them. So, by our strict "remakes suck! sound stages suck!" rules, The Thing, sucked.

Edited January 4, 2010 by eugimon

[Vepariga]

if they use practical effects it should be good, and they have to leave the dead in the same positions that they were found by kurt russel and crew when they went to the Norwegian base.

and if this movie has a ending to go with 'the thing' it MUST end with them chasing the dog in the helicopter over the horizon.

[captain america]

Meh, it's still a story that doesn't need to be told. We need only watch the first 15-or-so minutes of Carpenter's movie to get that much.

What's the fun of that? We already know how it's gonna end.

With that train of thought, what's the point in watching ANY film based on historical events, since we already know how it's going to end? <--see what that logic gets ya?

I for one am enthusiastic about this project. Flame on!

[spacemanoeuvres]

The Thing, itself was a REMAKE.

That's right, and both films are based on the book "Who goes there?" by John W. Campbell, Jr.

Wikipedia says the carpenter version is more faithful to the novel. I haven't seen the original film so I can't say.

I think I'll pickup the book. 

[taksraven]

With that train of thought, what's the point in watching ANY film based on historical events,

The Thing is fiction, not an historical event.

Taksraven

[EXO]

I'll check it out as a BSG fan. Moore will probably do better than if Carpenter redid it himself. I can't watch anything from him past Prince Of Darkness... I couldnt stand They Live.

[eugimon]

The Thing is fiction, not an historical event.

Taksraven

But I bet there are plenty of people who think the Thing is superhero and never watched the Carpenter movie so for them it might be fresh and new.

[CoryHolmes]

What's going to happen here is Moore is going to write the script, get the sets built, and then complain that the studio wants to change things around for a more 'hip' feel. Then he's going to go and get permission to remake some old TV show and totally change things around in his own way. 'Cuz it's alright when he disregards the source material but God forbid if the studio wants to.

FYI: That's what happened with his Dragonriders of Pern TV show. They got up as far as filming a pilot episode when Moore balked at the changes the network wanted to make it more Buffy-like, complaining that it was disregarding the novels. Then look at what he did with BSG... great way to respect the source material, dude

[EXO]

What's going to happen here is Moore is going to write the script, get the sets built, and then complain that the studio wants to change things around for a more 'hip' feel. Then he's going to go and get permission to remake some old TV show and totally change things around in his own way. 'Cuz it's alright when he disregards the source material but God forbid if the studio wants to.

FYI: That's what happened with his Dragonriders of Pern TV show. They got up as far as filming a pilot episode when Moore balked at the changes the network wanted to make it more Buffy-like, complaining that it was disregarding the novels. Then look at what he did with BSG... great way to respect the source material, dude

maybe he's just good quality control.... the last thing I want to see is a buffy version of Dragonriders.

[eugimon]

What's going to happen here is Moore is going to write the script, get the sets built, and then complain that the studio wants to change things around for a more 'hip' feel. Then he's going to go and get permission to remake some old TV show and totally change things around in his own way. 'Cuz it's alright when he disregards the source material but God forbid if the studio wants to.

FYI: That's what happened with his Dragonriders of Pern TV show. They got up as far as filming a pilot episode when Moore balked at the changes the network wanted to make it more Buffy-like, complaining that it was disregarding the novels. Then look at what he did with BSG... great way to respect the source material, dude

Yeah, just look at what he did to a velour filled camp fest where people ran around with little pyramids on their heads and had monkey-dog robots as pets while they ran away from the robots made by the lizard people... how dare he!

[captain america]

Yeah, just look at what he did to a velour filled camp fest where people ran around with little pyramids on their heads and had monkey-dog robots as pets while they ran away from the robots made by the lizard people... how dare he!

...Don't forget the gold chains!

[mikeszekely]

I wasn't bitching, I was marveling at our restraint. I understand how that could be a difficult concept to grasp. See, one goes:

What's wrong with you people?

The other goes:

Congrats at not being internet douche bags for 4 whole days.

Congrats to you too BTW. My new years wishes to you, I hope you can save money on spackle, maybe buy it in industrial sized tubs?

"I hate everything! New stuff sucks! Nothing is better than old stuff! My childhood is raped!"

*goes to Fandango to preorder tickets*

[chowyunskinny]

[-Snowblind-]

three months is average for a hollywood movie, so there's a slim chance it won't be all green screen, but since it's shooting in toronto, there's every chance it will look like every planet Sg-1 has ever investigated.

...

Minor nitpick, but the Stargate shows are shot in BC, well away from Toronto. Also, it's (probably) not fair to compare a film budget to a TV show budget... unless they're really trying to do it on the cheap.

[Einherjar]

Is this really a bad thing? Years ago a company made a video game continuation of the movie for the PS2, though I never played it to know if it was a good or bad one. They did the paranoia aspect from the film well though.

Edited January 5, 2010 by Einherjar

[eugimon]

Minor nitpick, but the Stargate shows are shot in BC, well away from Toronto. Also, it's (probably) not fair to compare a film budget to a TV show budget... unless they're really trying to do it on the cheap.

Ah, you're right about the BC thing. But my point wasn't to slam any show, just pointing out that Toronto has a pretty big film industry and a lot of hollywood stuff gets filmed there.

[Gubaba]

FYI: That's what happened with his Dragonriders of Pern TV show. They got up as far as filming a pilot episode when Moore balked at the changes the network wanted to make it more Buffy-like, complaining that it was disregarding the novels. Then look at what he did with BSG... great way to respect the source material, dude

Yeah, see...the difference is that the early Anne McCaffrey novels are actually, y'know...GOOD.

Original BSG...well, I think Eugimon hit the nail on the head.

[kaiotheforsaken]

I like the RDM bashing going on, even if you didn't care for the new BSG, the guy has written and/or produced some of the greatest televised Sci-fi ever to grace TV. He was heavily involved in DS9 and TNG and wrote some of the most beloved and classic episodes. He also had a hand in First Contact, which is easily the best of the TNG movies. The guy writes good stuff.

I'm looking forward to seeing what he cooks up with this.

[CoryHolmes]

Yeah, see...the difference is that the early Anne McCaffrey novels are actually, y'know...GOOD.

Original BSG...well, I think Eugimon hit the nail on the head.

Nah, the part that bothers me is the apparent hypocrisy of his attitude (fully gleaned from Wikipedia, bastion of immutable knowledge that it is).

like the RDM bashing going on, even if you didn't care for the new BSG, the guy has written and/or produced some of the greatest televised Sci-fi ever to grace TV. He was heavily involved in DS9 and TNG and wrote some of the most beloved and classic episodes. He also had a hand in First Contact, which is easily the best of the TNG movies. The guy writes good stuff.

*muttermutter*bash*muttermutter*rant*muttermutter* Okay, okay, okay. You got me there. But I don't have to like it!

[anime52k8]

I like the RDM bashing going on, even if you didn't care for the new BSG, the guy has written and/or produced some of the greatest televised Sci-fi ever to grace TV. He was heavily involved in DS9 and TNG and wrote some of the most beloved and classic episodes. He also had a hand in First Contact, which is easily the best of the TNG movies. The guy writes good stuff.

I'm looking forward to seeing what he cooks up with this.

But RDM raped my childhood, and now he's trying to do it again!

(OT: is it a sign of bad parenting that my parents let me watch The Thing when I was like 9?

Edited January 5, 2010 by anime52k8

[eugimon]

no, but it is sad that your tastes haven't matured since you were 9.