MTV: Since this is a prequel, we presumably know what's going to happen at the end. How did you keep the suspense going?
Winstead: I think that it's exciting to wonder who is a Thing and who isn't, and that's really where the suspense lies. A lot of films in the genre, you kind of know it's not gonna end up well. I don't think anyone is really expecting a happy ending. But that kind of going along for the ride and being in the suspense of the moment is what's really exciting. Our story is so great and it's one that could be played out in so many scenarios, and I think with bringing in completely different characters from completely different backgrounds and countries brings a whole other level of paranoia. It takes it into a different direction, having this language barrier between the characters and having a lot of "us" vs. "them" between the Norwegians and the Americans and things like that was an interesting take on it, made it a not straight-up remake. And it was exciting to me to put a girl in the mix, which people have different opinions on it. But for me, that's what differentiates it from the John Carpenter version in a big way and makes it a different film, makes it a unique film and one that stands on its own.
MTV: Anyone who's seen Ellen Ripley [Sigourney Weaver in "Alien"] do her thing knows that a woman can take on an alien.
Winstead: What's cool about it, for this character, a lot of her strength lies in her intellect rather than her muscles. It's not like one of those characters where I come in and act like I can kick everybody's ass. It's not realistic. All these guys are bigger than me, stronger than me. But my character has a really strong intellect, which gets her far in this film.
MTV: How does this one build? How long before, you know, sh-- gets bad?
Winstead: It's a definite slow burn, which is great. It makes it feel like a classic horror film. You really set up the characters and you really build the fear slowly, and once sh-- hits the fan, it gets crazy and it doesn't stop. It's super-intense, the last half of the film. You just hold your breath and you don't breathe again till the credits roll. That's really great. The first part of the movie is really slow and foreboding, and you feel this slow dread building because you do know what's coming. You know that something crazy and horrible is gonna happen to these people, but they don't know it yet and kind of having that feeling as the audience is one that's exciting and creepy and terrifying.
MTV: We get a glimpse of the creature in the trailer. Because it's a prequel, do you guys have to stay very true to the first one or do you have room to play?
Winstead: I think they definitely kept the John Carpenter version in mind when it came to the creature design. Definitely it is still that same world, but there is a somewhat new look to it and somewhat different take on it. It's sort of the 2011 version, but still with that spirit of practical effects. It certainly doesn't look exactly like the John Carpenter version. As awesome as those effects are, they are out of a certain period. And when you see that, you can kind of tell like, "Oh, those are really awesome '80s effects." So you can't really go exactly for that. You have to bring a little of the modern element in to it too, but hopefully keeping that real tangible quality the '80s effects had as well.
This has to be one of the most exciting movies coming out. Any film that combines to of my favorites,
The Thing and Mary Elizabeth Winstead is sure to be a hit.
This interview with Mtv really put a lot of my worries behind. First, I didn't want to see Mary Elizabeth Winstead just kicking butt in this movie. I'm so tired of the dainty female lead who happens to beat the snot out of everything. It's just too unrealistic. Knowing now that she will outwit the alien creatures that inhabit their human hosts is refreshing.
Also, Mary brings up the nice long slow build up, that made John Carpenter's best films, well, the best. He was an artist at building characters and tension, which made for a more satisfying payoff. He made sure you cared, or you knew where a character was coming from before he wrote them off. Hopefully this prequel can carry that tradition, and it sounds like they will.
The prequel is directed by Matthijs van Heijningen jr. The cast includes
Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Joel Edgerton, Dennis Storhøi, Trond Espen Seim, Jørgen Langhelle, Jonathan Walker, Eric Christian Olsen, Jo Adrian Haavind, Stig Henrik Hoff, Jan Gunnar Røise and Kristofer Hivju.
The Thing will be in theaters on 10/14/2011.
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