“The Thing” Prequel Filming in March

If you've seen John Carpenter's 1982 remake of "The Thing," you're probably still haunted by images of giant spiders clawing their way out of German shepherds and the site of Wilfred Brimley turning evil. Well get ready for more, because a prequel is on its way.

Matthijs van Heijningen Jr., who was recently announced as director for Zack Snyder's "Army of the Dead," is now also on tap to direct the "Thing" prequel being produced by (NBC sibling) Universal Pictures, according to Production Weekly. The new film takes place at a Norwegian camp in the Antarctic that is overrun with bloodthirsty aliens, said First Showing.

Van Heijningen  reportedly wants to make the brother of R.J. McReady, the hero of the '82 version played by Kurt Russell (in all his Snake Plissken Era glory), the star of the new installment.

So an American stationed at a polar base does battle with aliens and then later on his brother will go to the same place and do battle with the same aliens -- just by coincidence? Or will they remake the '82 film with allusions to the prequel? It all sounds a little stupid when you say it out loud, but Carpenter's version is as great as the original is ridiculous (giant half-carrot, half-man terrorizes scientists), so let's hold out hope.

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