News of COVID-19 Reaching Antarctic Base Draws Comparisons to John Carpenter's The Thing

This week has brought the news that Antarctica, previously the last refuge from the COVID-19 coronavirus, has recorded its first cases of the virus which means all seven continents on the planet have been plagued by it. 36 people, ten civilians and 26 military, at Chile's General Bernardo O'Higgins Riquelme research base testing positive. In a statement the Chilean Army said: "Thanks to the timely preventive action. It was possible to relieve said personnel, who, after being subjected to a medical control and the administration of a PCR test... turned out to be positive for COVID-19." As one might expect though, this news immediately drew pop culture comparisons with Twitter fans drawing a comparison to John Carpenter's movie, The Thing.

Released in 1982 and a remake of the Howard Hawks 1951 feature The Thing from Another World, Carpenter's film told the story of twelve scientists at Outpost 31 who discover the remains of a shape-shifting alien buried in the ice. Paranoia rises after it's thawed out and begins to replicate members of the group, leading to confrontations and hysteria as it's unclear who is still human and who is a Thing. Though a box office and critical bomb upon release, the film has become a fan favorite with a brand new sequel in the works from Blumhouse.

While we wait for that movie though, you'll find a series of tweets comparing the current COVID situation on the frozen continent to Carpenter's film.