10 Times Horror Directors Admitted They Went Too Far
5. The Thing (2011)
Despite failing critically and financially upon its release, John Carpenter's The Thing went on to become one of the most celebrated horror films of all time.
Though it was applauded for its performances and atmosphere, the iconic body horror is best known for its frighteningly realistic special effects. So, when Matthijs Van Heijningen Jr. agreed to helm a prequel, there was skepticism that the project wouldn't live up to its predecessor.
Sadly, these concerns were justified. 2011's The Thing was a huge disappointment, primarily because the practical effects were substituted for unconvincing CGI.
What's worse is that the director did use cable-operated animatronics and prosthetics during production, hoping to capture the spirit of Carpenter's version. Van Heijningen wanted to maintain old-school visual effects as often as possible, believing it helped the actors with their performances. But in post-production, Universal Studios digitally altered or completely replaced many effects with CGI, thinking it'd appeal to modern audiences.
Spoiler alert: it didn't.
After seeing the negative reception the film received, Van Heijningen said he should've stuck to his guns, believing the practical effects looked far scarier and more believable than what we got.