Convincing Theory Claims This 2018 Sci-Fi Was A Secret The Thing Sequel 36 Years Later

A fan theory suggests that John Carpenter’s The Thing has a stealth sequel in one of 2018’s best sci-fi films. Despite receiving a mixed reception when it was first released, The Thing has gone on to become one of the most iconic horror/science-fiction movies ever released. The film focuses on the titular “thing,” an unnamed alien entity that can absorb and imitate any living being while trying to spread across the planet. This gave the film a unique sense of paranoia on top of the explosive body horror caused by the transforming entity.

The Thing received a prequel film in 2011, which expanded upon the events that led directly to The Thing. However, a fan theory about the film sets up a clever potential connection between The Thing and another sci-fi film that debuted decades after Carpenter’s film. Although there are some holes in the theory, the idea at the heart of it reinforces the alien nature of the entities in both films and gives The Thing an impressive cosmic enemy.

Annihilation Is A Sequel To John Carpenter’s The Thing: Theory Explained

A clever fan theory suggests that Annihilation is a secret sequel to John Carpenter’s The Thing, and that the alien presence in the former comes to Earth in search of the “Thing.” Posted to Reddit, the theory argues that the alien presence in Annihilation known as the Shimmer was sent to Earth with an express purpose to root out the shapeshifting alien from The Thing. Exposure to Shimmer caused intense mutations in the DNA of living beings, mutating various entities that it encounters and fusing some of them to form a new unity.

This would quietly make it the perfect means of combating the alien from The Thing, which absorbs DNA to perfectly mimic other entities. The Shimmer could disrupt that replication. In the theory, the Shimmer was sent to Earth to ensure the Thing hadn’t spread around the planet and fully infected humanity. Encountering the Shimmer would have disrupted the Thing’s replicating cells, exposing it. The events of Annihilation end with the Shimmer fading away from Earth, with the theory suggesting its investigation into humanity has concluded (even as the effects of the Shimmer linger in the sci-fi movie’s final scenes.)

Why The Annihilation/The Thing Theory Works

The idea that The Thing and Annihilation share a world makes a surprising amount of sense, given their core similarities and the chance to answer lingering mysteries about The Thing. Both films focus on humans encountering a truly alien form of life, capable of rewriting DNA. While the Thing is a predatory entity that quickly spreads and works to attack people, the Shimmer is a more naturally expanding element that deters external interference. The biggest dangers in Annihilation aren’t the Shimmer itself, but rather the wild animals and humans it transformed, like Annihilation‘s mutant bear.

The Shimmer’s ability to disrupt DNA would make it an ideal means of combating the Thing, especially if it spread across humanity. The theory leans into the truly alien nature of Annihilation, giving a purpose behind the Shimmer coming to Earth in the first place. It’s a clever way to combine the two different sci-fi films into a single story, both of which use the danger of assimilation and mutation as a central threat. It also affords Annihilation a unique element as a surprisingly well-intentioned (if still destructive) force, making the Shimmer even more unique and incomprehensible than before.

Problems With The Annihilation Sequel Theory

The biggest problems with the Annihilation/The Thing crossover theory stem from the origins of Shimmer. The theory suggests that the Shimmer was purposefully placed on Earth to locate the Thing, and pulled back upon completing its evaluation of humanity. However, the film states that the Shimmer was carried to Earth on a meteor that crashed into the planet. This suggests that the Shimmer’s arrival was more of a naturally occurring incident rather than a planned offensive against the Thing. There’s also the ending of the film, which suggests the Shimmer will live on within Lena and Kane.

This suggests the Shimmer has had a more successful assimilation than what The Thing achieved, successfully spreading outside containment. There’s also the question as to why the Shimmer took so long to land on Earth in search of the Thing, if the events of The Thing took place decades before Annihilation. Still, while there are some holes in the theory, the idea that Annihilation is connected to The Thing is an interesting one that adds connective tissue between two films that highlight how humanity would respond to such an invasive alien species.

Source: Reddit