There’s a reason the Final Destination franchise holds a place in the hearts of many horror fans. First, the premise is very cool, centering on a group of people (usually teens but not always) who survive a mass tragedy only for Death to strike them down one-by-one. Second, this premise led to some very cool, freak death sequences, like the unforgettable logging truck highway scene. There hasn’t been a new movie since 2011, but that changes in May with Final Destination Bloodlines.
The sixth movie in the Final Destination franchise follows the same path as the others, teasing all sorts of fluky murders. While the previous trailer previewed a nasty tattoo parlor death, this one adds alcoholic drinks, a game of Jenga, a trampoline, and a deadly family gathering to the mix. However, there’s something different also, as this one is a partial prequel, taking place in the 1960s and in the present. The past will reveal the origin story of William Bludworth, the mortician played by the late Tony Todd in four of the six movies.
Here’s the synopsis: “Plagued by a violent recurring nightmare, college student Stefanie heads home to track down the one person who might be able to break the cycle and save her family from the grisly demise that inevitably awaits them all.”
Bloodlines has a cast that includes Kaitlyn Santa Juana, Teo Briones, Richard Harmon, Owen Patrick Joyner, Rya Kihlstedt, Anna Lore, Brec Bassinger, and Todd in his final role.
The film is directed by Adam B. Stein and Zach Lipovsky, the duo behind Freaks and The Kim Possible Movie. Seriously. Lipovsky has a bit more horror cred as the solo director of Leprechaun: Origins and Dead Rising: Watchtower.
Perhaps more interesting is the screenplay co-written by Lori Evans Taylor and Guy Busick, with a story co-created by Spider-Man and Wolfs director Jon Watts. Busick has been a frequent collaborator with Radio Silence on such films as Scream, Scream VI, Abigail, and Ready or Not, a damn fine track record.
Final Destination Bloodlines opens in theaters on May 16th.
