Matias was a Norwegian helicopter pilot stationed at the Thule Antarctic research station. The unnamed character first appeared in the 1982 film The Thing, portrayed by associate producer Larry J. Franco. He was further explored in the 2011 prequel film, this time played by actor Ole Martin Aune Nilsen.
History[]
The Thing (2011)[]
In the final sequence of The Thing, Matias returns to Thule station to find it destroyed and discovers the burned remains of the Split Face thing. He calls out for survivors but is met with silence. He is then given warning shots from a paranoid Lars, who attempts to confirm his identity by checking for tooth fillings (as the Thing cannot assimilate inorganic material). As Matias asks Lars what happened, they notice the station's Alaskan malamute fleeing from the facility. Lars realizes that the Thing has assimilated the dog and the pair give chase in the helicopter, shooting at it from the air.
It is unknown to what extent Lars, during the chase, was able to communicate to Matias what had happened at the base, and whether Matias was able to believe in such a fantastic story. Since Matias had seen the horrific remains of the Split Face thing, and was possibly aware of the crashed saucer wreck, he could perhaps accept that an alien parasite was on the run.
The Thing (1982)[]
The pilot first appears in the opening scenes of The Thing (1982), as he and his colleague attempt to hunt and kill the Kennel-Thing - shooting and grenading it from the air. The pair follow the creature to a U.S. Antarctic research center, U.S. Outpost 31. Landing outside the perimeter of the facility, Lars and Matias get out of the chopper. Matias attempts to throw a grenade at the creature before it can reach on Kennel-Thing, slips from his hand and lands near the helicopter. Lars tells him to run and steps up, Matias tries to reach for it but it is too late, the grenade explodes, destroys him and the chopper.
Matias (left) and Lars (right) pursue the Dog by helicopter, as seen in The Thing (1982).
Trivia[]
- Both Lars and Matias are the only two human characters who appeared in both the 1982 and 2011 films.
- He only appeared in the bit parts for both movies. And he only spoke in the 2011 film.