Death has always found a way, but now it’s finally going back to where it all began. Final Destination Bloodlines pulls the curtain back on the origin of the franchise’s long-standing curse, tracing the first crack in the chain reaction that has haunted characters (and audiences) for over two decades. More than 14 years since the last instalment shocked viewers with its hidden prequel twist, this latest entry promises to deliver the franchise’s signature chaos, but with a generational twist that reframes everything that came before it.
Directed by Zach Lipovsky and Adam Stein (Freaks), Final Destination Bloodlines marks a return to the chilling formula of elaborate, domino-effect disasters that make even the most mundane situations feel dangerous. But this time, it’s personal. A grandmother’s long-buried secret sets the wheels in motion. Decades ago, she escaped death. Now, it’s come to collect by targeting her descendants one by one. As fate begins to close in, one family member races against time to decipher the pattern and break the cycle.
Scenes in the new trailer feature the usual blend of near-misses and horrifying payoffs — an air conditioning unit that loosens a screw, a car jack that slips, an innocuous breakfast turning deadly. These Rube Goldberg sequences of fatal misfortune are backed by a cast of new faces: Kaitlyn Santa Juana (The Flash), Brec Bassinger (Stargirl), Teo Briones (Ratched), Richard Harmon (The 100), Rya Kihlstedt (Dexter), Owen Patrick Joyner (Julie and the Phantoms), and Anna Lore (Doom Patrol), all lined up for death’s grand design.
One key return, however, anchors it all. Tony Todd (Candyman) reprises his eerie role as William Bludworth, the mortician with an uncanny knowledge of death’s rules. Todd’s presence has been a constant throughout the series (with one exception), offering cryptic warnings and spectral guidance. His involvement in Final Destination Bloodlines adds a bittersweet touch, as the horror community continues to mourn the actor following his recent passing. This marks one of his final performances — fitting, perhaps, for a franchise built around the inevitability of death.
Whether longtime fans or newcomers, viewers might want to think twice before ignoring that nagging feeling of déjà vu. If there’s anything these movies have taught us, it’s that cheating death always comes with a cost.
Enter death’s door when Final Destination Bloodlines opens in cinemas on 16 May.
Natalie is a big fan of anything related to movies, TV shows, and anime — you name it. When she’s not reading or being a dedicated cinephile, she’s probably playing gacha and tabletop games, or daydreaming of Caleb from Love and Deepspace.
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