Earlier this year, we heard that Ian Nathan, author of Alien Vault, Terminator Vault, Stephen King at the Movies, The Legend of Mad Max, and books about filmmakers James Cameron, Ridley Scott, David Lynch, Steven Spielberg, Tim Burton, Wes Anderson, the Coen brothers, the Coppolas, Peter Jackson, Quentin Tarantino, and Clint Eastwood, is teaming up with CREATORVC, the production company behind documentaries like the In Search of Darkness trilogy, In Search of Tomorrow, and First Person Shooter to bring us a documentary called Aliens Expanded, a 4-hour examination of writer/director James Cameron’s 1986 classic Aliens. Digital copies of that documentary can be ordered at THIS LINK – and now it has been announced that Nathan and CREATORVC are continuing their working relationship with The Thing Expanded, a documentary that aims to be the ultimate companion to John Carpenter’s The Thing!
Copies of The Thing Expanded are available for pre-order through TheThingExpanded.com, and they say if you get in your order before September 2nd you’ll get your name in the credits. Fans will also get to join in “on a year-long expedition into the heart of John Carpenter’s masterpiece, taking part in 20+ hours of online events, including Q&As with the cast & crew of The Thing, before receiving your personalized copy of The Thing Expanded documentary. … Along the way, we’ll enjoy a year of live online Q&As with The Thing cast and crew, regular vidcasts that take a deep-dive into specific topics, and many other community events that will take us closer and deeper than ever into the world of The Thing.“
Here’s the information on the documentary: Written and directed by Ian Nathan (Aliens Expanded), The Thing Expanded will be the ultimate companion to John Carpenter’s The Thing, digging deep into the proverbial iceberg to enhance your viewing experience with new insights, stories, and revelations. Currently in the early stages of production, we have just completed our first and most important interview: John Carpenter was incredible and we can’t wait to share his insights and stories with you! As with our previous documentary, the critically-acclaimed Aliens Expanded – which boasted a cast that includes James Cameron, Sigourney Weaver, Gale Anne Hurd, and many more – The Thing Expanded will gather a who’s who of The Thing cast and crew as well as a supporting cast of top critics, commentators, film historians, and fellow filmmakers.
Through exhaustive analysis, we will break down fifteen crucial scenes chronologically, building up a picture of the film’s extraordinary power, its legacy, and the story of its making. Along the way, we’ll touch on many aspects, including: The Evolution of the Movie and Specific Scenes, including early versions of the script, production design, creature alterations, changes in dialogue, and cut scenes. – The Ensemble Cast, with every actor and character, from R.J. MacReady to the raving Norwegian rifleman, getting their moment to shine! – The Practical Effects, designed by the brilliant Rob Bottin. – The Fan Theories surrounding the characters, creature, and story that have kept viewers guessing to this day. – John Carpenter’s Influences, from the literary works of John W. Campbell Jr. and H.P. Lovecraft to the classic Westerns directed by Howard Hawks. – The Extended Universe, including the comics, games, unmade SYFY miniseries, Ronald D. Moore’s unmade prequel screenplay, the 2011 prequel, and more.
The Thing Expanded is just getting started, but it sounds great already.
Are you a fan of John Carpenter’s The Thing, and will you be watching The Thing Expanded? Let us know by leaving a comment below.