It’s been over a year since horror fans last got any word on the revival of the Final Destination franchise, with Saw writers Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan signing on last January to pen the next installment. Now creator Jeffrey Reddick and producer Craig Perry have revealed details on the new film. (Via JoBlo)
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Reddick feels that describing the next installment as a reboot “is probably too strong of a word,” as it gives the connotation that the filmmakers are “going to change everything,” but assures that it’s definitely a Final Destination movie.
“The concept behind it is unique,” Reddick describes. “Craig is the master of coming up with crazy openings and set pieces. He’s told me a couple of things that happen in this one and it’s going to be a lot of fun. It’s not going to feel like a cash-grab Final Destination film.“
Perry revealed that the film is going to toy with being set in the world of first responders, including EMTs, firemen and police, those who “deal with death on the front lines every day and make choices that can cause people to live or die,” as well as teasing that audiences will never “look at a revolving door in the same way again.“
“We rely on their good judgment, expertise and calm demeanor,” Perry said. “So why not put those people in the nightmare situation where every choice can bring about life and death — but now for themselves? We’re thinking that world might be an interesting way into a Final Destination movie, and one which can also generate unique set pieces in a very credible way.”
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The franchise, which began in 2000 with a script originally written for the Fox supernatural series The X-Files, followed a new group of teens/young adults who narrowly escape a grisly death when one has a premonition of the event, only for Death to follow them and reclaim their souls in horrific and unique ways, everything from stray drops of tea in a computer monitor to a stray wrench on a production line.
Composed of five films, the original franchise was always received with mixed reviews from critics, who consistently praised the death sequences and concepts while frequently criticizing the poorly written dialogue and predictable plotting of the films. The series was, however, always a hit with audiences, with every film proving to be commercial hits and having grossed nearly $700 million over the course of 11 years and five entries.
A sixth entry into the series has long been discussed, given the surprise critical success the fifth installment proved to be and the large financial success of the latter two films, but developmental delays and seemingly lack of initiative from the studio has kept fans in the dark as to if and when the franchise would ever return to the big screen.
Melton and Dunstan joined the long-running Saw franchise beginning with the fourth installment and continuing to the initial seventh and final entry and are also known for having scripted the 2012 monster horror film Piranha 3DD, the less-than-enthusiastically received sequel to the surprise critical and commercial 2010 remake of Piranha.
