The iconic horror film franchise, Final Destination, takes a sharp return 14 years after the release of its first official trailer. “Final Destination: Bloodlines” is set to hit theaters on May 16, 2025 as the sixth installment of the franchise. The film introduces an entirely new cast, with stars like Kaiitlyn Santa Juana, Teo Briones, Richard Harmon, Owen Patrick Joyner, Rya Kihlstedt, Anna Lore and Brec Bassinger. The introduction of a new cast is standard practice of the franchise, implying that all the characters from the previous film face an untimely death, and this new addition does the same. This works in the film’s favor as it also compensates for the 14-year hiatus that the franchise took.
The late actor Tony Todd, is the only returning character, making a posthumous appearance in his role of the enigmatic Mortician. The New Line Cinema has confirmed that the new installment will explore the beginning of Death’s design, with a brief synopsis of this new chapter: “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.”
Known for its foreboding nature, the franchise has a variety of premonitions to choose from that have instilled fear in generations that grew up watching the films. In honor of the trailer release, it’s worth revisiting some of the most iconic premonitions that came true. From scenes of the most mundane tasks to scenes of the impossible “freak accidents,” the films only prove that nothing is off limits for Death.
“Final Destination” (2000) – Flight 180 Plane Crash
This one might be one of the most relevant fears of today considering the odd cluster of recent headlines announcing mechanical malfunctions in planes. In the first film, “Final Destination,” the premonitions come to life when the main character, Alex, wakes up in panic after having seen the death of his classmates and passengers of flight 180. The internal conflict, suspense and tension that builds from these scenes set the fearful tone for these films.
“Final Destination 2” (2003) – Route 23 Pileup
The cutting edge of this scene runs deep, with many viewers of the franchise sharing that this scene comes to mind when driving behind a truck filled with logs. In “Final Destination 2,” the apprehension and deja-vu elements are now a constant, but not any less interesting with the buildup of suspense at every turn. Although this fear is fairly normal, the danger stands out because of that and the unexplainable force that has viewers unable to stop the tragedy of the mass-scale crash.
“Final Destination 3” (2006) – The Devil’s Flight Roller Coaster
For anyone who is terrified of roller coasters, this omen validates why it’s better to stay on the ground. In “Final Destination 3” the mayhem begins with a group visit to a local amusement park. The scene relies on the chaos of the environment. There’s countless instances of chaos: the surge of crowds, overwhelming high-speed twists and turns, and even loud screams and laughter from having a good time. The fear comes from the constant expectation of danger, which will have viewers questioning the characters for getting on another roller coaster.
“Final Destination 5” (2011) – Laser Eye Surgery
Death chooses to strike at one of the worst times when Olivia, an earlier survivor of a bridge collapse, gets LASIK surgery. The anxiety that precedes the fatal results, is palpable, especially for anyone who’s had health anxiety or bad astigmatism that requires this procedure. Despite LASIK taking up no more than 10 minutes, the scene drags on to intensify her fears as she clutches on her teddy bear for support. The greatest twist is that her own fear created the opportunity for her death. When she’s left alone in the surgery room for a couple minutes, she faces the consequences of her own actions and meets a tragic end.
