Five Chilling Films Every ‘The Thing’ Buff Should See

T.K. Carter, best remembered by horror fans for his role as Nauls in John Carpenter’s classic, died on 9 January 2026 at 69. He was found at his home in Duarte, California. Police have said there’s no sign of anything suspicious, though the cause of death is still unknown.

Carter’s performance in Carpenter’s Antarctic thriller helped ground the film’s tension, making the paranoia between the crew feel all too real. If you’re a fan of that sort of creeping dread, there are a handful of other films you’ll want to add to your watchlist.

Body-Snatching and Alien Terrors

First up is the 1978 version of Invasion of the Body Snatchers, directed by Philip Kaufman. Donald Sutherland stars as a health inspector in San Francisco who starts to suspect that people are being replaced by lookalike imposters. Brooke Adams and Jeff Goldblum round out the cast. The film’s atmosphere is thick with mistrust, and the ending is anything but comforting.

Any member of society can be infected. The trust breaks down, paranoia spreads, and the final solution is not a consolation but a cold knockout.

For those who like their horror in space, Ridley Scott’s Alien (1979) is a must. The crew of the Nostromo respond to a distress call, only to find themselves hunted by a relentless creature. Sigourney Weaver’s Ripley leads the charge as the crew slowly realise the true danger they’re in. The sense of isolation and fear is right up the alley for anyone who enjoyed Carpenter’s Antarctic nightmare.

Transformation and Identity

David Cronenberg’s The Fly (1986) is another essential. Jeff Goldblum plays Seth Brundle, a scientist whose teleportation experiment goes horribly wrong. Geena Davis plays the journalist who witnesses his slow, horrifying transformation. The film’s horror builds gradually, much like in Carpenter’s work, and the body horror is both tragic and unsettling.

Jumping forward, Annihilation (2018), directed by Alex Garland and starring Natalie Portman, follows a group of researchers venturing into a mysterious zone called “The Shimmer”, where the laws of nature start to unravel. The threat is never fully explained, and the film blurs the lines between the characters’ motives and their sense of self.

Cosmic Dread and Unanswered Questions

Rounding out the list is Prince of Darkness (1987), another outing from John Carpenter. This time, a scientist and a priest investigate a strange green liquid hidden in a Los Angeles church. Donald Pleasence and Victor Wong star. The film’s odd premise is balanced by strong performances, and the sense of cosmic menace is palpable.

Most The Thing enthusiasts will enjoy this film because Carpenter has “a bleak outlook.” Science doesn’t work, questions aren’t answered, and danger is cosmic and overwhelming.

Which of these chilling tales will you be queuing up first?