Death Gets a Sequel: New Final Destination Film Coming?

(~750w, 2nd Person)

Hollywood’s formula for horror is often reminiscent of the genre’s villains.

Sequels and remakes are like the killer that won’t stay dead. Always popping back up, never relenting in coming back from the ashes, and forever opening its eyes just when you think it’s gone for good.

This horror remake obsession is hit and miss. The miss leaves a series lurching forward like a decaying zombie, dropping pieces of itself behind.

But a fresh, creative new entry can revive interest, like a brilliantly terrifying creation brought to life in a mad scientist’s lab.

Villains take on various forms in horror movies. Spirits, undead beings, demons, aliens, and even machines can play the role of antagonist. But one franchise ditched the image of death as a reaper with a scythe, and gave it a sinister spin.

Final Destination was one of the more creative and inventive twists on horror when it hit theaters over two decades ago. Since then, few films have come close to capturing its unique magic.

Here the villain wasn’t alive, dead, or undead. It was death itself, portrayed as a force of nature – if that force really loved Rube Goldberg machines.

Combining the unnerving and all-consuming nature of our impermanence with shocking visuals, Final Destination became a huge success, leading to five films, as well as novels and comics.

But it seemed for a time, the last victim death claimed was the franchise itself – especially after star Tony Todd basically said as much. But things change, and a new film is reportedly in motion from New Line Cinemas.

The movie will feature a talented production team including Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan, the duo about to release a remake of Guillermo del Toro’s Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. They’ve also worked on four movies from the Saw franchise, and the horror spoof Piranha 3DD.

Penchant for elaborate traps, and lovers of dark comedy? Check and check.

Before you continue – want weekly blogs and monthly giveaways? Check and check. Sign up for our newsletter here.

So what finally killed Final Destination? Costs. Even death has bills to pay.

Without an iconic villain to carry it, the franchise was sold largely on the spectacular visuals of its elaborate death (or near-death) sequences. Those visuals were also spectacularly expensive. The infamous log truck scene reportedly cost at least 20 million alone.

Modern filming techniques could potentially help with this. While the film’s directors said they aren’t dubbing the follow-up a reboot, they talk about putting a fresh spin on an old classic. It’s a growing trend.

Rather than expanding on old stories and diluting their impact, many studios now reimagine old tales with new takes in separate timelines. This allows them to honor a franchise and capitalize off the name, while still being inventive.

The 2018 Halloween remake ignored countless hit-and-miss sequels, focusing as a direct follow-up to the original. The semi-canon take of the story helped fans enjoy the spirit (or in this case The Shape) of the series without trying to decipher the film’s long history of sequels. Mystery made Michael an icon, and it made the remake a success.

Pet Sematary also got a modern interpretation, switching around a major plot point to restore a sense of mystery. In a film about seeing someone familiar in a different light, this kind of update worked well to strengthen the feeling of suspense and dread.

Another film that tweaked plot points in a reboot is Child’s Play. Changing Chucky from a toy possessed by a serial killer to a murderous AI was a risk – but it also made fans less likely to compare it to the original. On its own, it’s a great movie that is timely in our age of smart home devices.

While Final Destinations films had recurring characters, the new entry may focus on a fresh group of people. This could be the best bet, given the series has been silent for so long.

In another timely take, this film could focus on death from the perspective of those who see it first hand – as part of their job as first responders.

Ultimately, safety is something people are thinking about more than ever these days. The fragile nature of life as a daily thought makes Final Destination all the more eerie, and gives it a chance to capture our imagination once more.

What do you think – will we see Final Destination make a return soon? Will the creators be able to wow us again? Share your thoughts, and don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter for more on movies, horror, and entertainment.