‘In a place where there is nothing, they found something.’ Well, we kinda already know that because The Thing is the prequel to… umm… The Thing – the classic sci-fi horror film starring Kurt Russell. This film will tell the story of the ill-fated Norwegian camp, shown briefly in the 1982 film, that discovered the alien life form buried beneath the Antarctic ice. The Thing is one of my favourite films so I really hope they don’t mess this prequel up. Judging by the trailer they haven’t, and we’re in for a seriously good dose of goosebumps and seat jumps.

The fantastic Aussie actor Joel Edgerton (Animal Kingdom) steps into the pre-Kurt Russell chopper pilot role. He won’t be the main focus this time around though; with that honour falling to very screen-friendly Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Scott Pilgrim vs The World), as Paleontologist Kate Llyod.

Enjoy!

Normally about now I’d launch into a tirade about the unnecessary number of sequels, prequels and remakes Hollywood is churning out. I would then pour scorn on this trailer for making the film look too much like the original, right down to the dogs trying to bite through their cages. Finally I would ignite a verbal flame-thrower and burn the unoriginal name, soundtrack and artwork (copied directly from the first film). But… I… can’t!!

Why?? I have no idea. I love the trailer, the cinematography, the use of the chilling 1982 score and that the rag-tag bunch of characters are about to meet a very similarly gruesome fate (many of whom aren’t even Norwegian!). It doesn’t make any sense that I should love it so – but I do! Maybe, after watching the trailer, I’m not James anymore?

The only thing that worries me is that this first trailer has come out awfully late – very close to the release date. And the film pretty much dropped off the radar for a number of months and hasn’t had the build up from the studio you’d expect for a film of this type – not the best sign. Nevertheless, I am keeping the faith with this one. A must see for me. And if you haven’t seen it already, you must rent the original… and watch it late at night, in the dark.

So did The Thing trailer take you over and make you want to buy tickets?  Are you a fan John Carpenter’s 1982 film? What’s sci-fi horror films have given you the chills?

Taking place three days before the events of the John Carpenter film, Kate Lloyd joins a Norwegian scientific team that has stumbled across a crashed extraterrestrial spaceship buried in the ice of Antarctica. They discover a creature that appears to have died in the crash eons ago. When an experiment frees the alien from its frozen prison, Kate join the crew’s pilot, Carter, to keep it from killing and imitating them one at a time, using its uncanny ability to mimic any life form it absorbs, and potentially reaching civilization.

Directed by first-timer Matthijs van Heijningen Jr, the film stars Joel Edgerton, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Ulrich Thomsen (Hitman, The International), Eric Christian Olsen (TV’s Community and NCIS: Los Angeles), and Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje (GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra).

The Thing invades our bodies on 3 November, not too long after its US release on 14 October.