After directing Final Destination 3 (2006), Wong exited the series, and the franchise continued with The Final Destination (2009) and Final Destination 5 (2011)
As Final Destination prepares for its sixth installment with Final Destination: Bloodlines, the franchise’s original director, James Wong, has shared his insights on what has made the horror series so successful over the years. Known for its shocking, gory deaths and unpredictable twists, Wong believes that the series resonates with audiences due to its visceral nature and its ability to continuously surprise.
Speaking with Bloody Disgusting, Wong recalled an experience during the first theatrical release of Final Destination (2000), where he witnessed firsthand the audience’s intense reactions to the film. “I went into the theater during the first run because I love watching a movie with an audience. We suddenly saw a bunch of ushers from the theater walk in in the middle of the movie and just stand by the side,” he shared. “And I realized it was right before the bus hit. They just wanted to see the audience react.”
Wong explained that the reactions from the audience were exactly what made him proud of the film. “I think they did a whole advertising campaign where they had cameras on an actual audience, and popcorn’s flying and all that stuff. That’s the reaction that I’m sort of most proud of in all my filmmaking. It’s so visceral and surprising. I really feel like that’s the kind of fun that Final Destination delivers on a film-to-film basis. I think that’s why it survived.”
The Final Destination franchise stands apart from other long-running horror series in that it doesn’t rely on a singular villain but instead focuses on the personification of death itself. Unlike franchises such as Nightmare on Elm Street or Friday the 13th, where iconic killers like Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees are the central antagonists, Final Destination presents a more universal and terrifying concept — death can strike from anywhere, at any time.
Wong elaborated, “Other franchises are based on the charisma of the killer, or the lack of charisma sometimes. The teenagers are really just fodder for the kill, and the fun is watching how Jason or Freddy kills them. For Final Destination, death itself is interchangeable within our lives. It could come from any direction. You don’t have to be at Camp Crystal Lake in order to encounter the killer. The killer’s all around us. I think that idea is what makes it long-lasting. It could be anything in the room that you’re in or the place that you’re traveling.”
In the earliest drafts of Final Destination, death was almost personified more literally, with the Grim Reaper poised to claim the souls of the doomed. Wong explained, “Death was sort of personified — maybe not as much as, like, The Seventh Seal, but there was a guy with a scythe, as I remember — and we wanted to not do that. We thought, ‘Well, maybe the best way for us to do this is change who the killer is.’”
After directing Final Destination 3 (2006), Wong exited the series, and the franchise continued with The Final Destination (2009) and Final Destination 5 (2011). Despite the relatively definitive ending of Final Destination 5, which seemed to bring the story full circle back to the beginning, Wong expressed surprise at the franchise’s continued success.
“I thought the fifth was the end, the capper, because it kind of reverted back to the first one, but I’m super happy that they’re doing it,” Wong admitted. “I have no idea what the sixth one’s about. I’m excited to learn as well as, hopefully, the audience. Craig [Perry, franchise producer] says people love the trailer and people love the movie in test screenings, so I’m excited for it.”
The return of Final Destination in 2024 with Final Destination: Bloodlines, directed by Zach Lipovsky and Adam Stein, has sparked excitement among fans and the filmmaking team alike. Wong, who never expected the franchise to extend beyond the first film, shared his delight: “To be honest with you, I never expected that movie would go beyond the first one, so I’m just tickled.” With early test screenings reportedly generating strong responses, Final Destination: Bloodlines is poised to bring the deadly thrills of the series back to the big screen for a new generation of fans.
As the franchise continues to evolve, Wong’s reflection on its longevity highlights the core strength of the series: its ability to keep audiences on the edge of their seats with suspenseful, unpredictable deaths and a concept that taps into universal fears.
