When Zach Lipovsky and Adam B. Stein were announced to direct the sixth installment in the long-running Final Destination horror franchise, it might not have seemed an obvious fit for anyone who saw their 2018 movie, Freaks, a superhero movie made on a shoestring budget. 

Final Destination Bloodlines takes a different approach to the previous five movies in that it starts in the ‘60s with a young couple on a date at the newly-opened Skyview Restaurant, where a young man (Max Lloyd-Jones) plans on proposing marriage to his girlfriend Iris (Brec Bassinger). Because this is a “Final Destination” movie, you know that something bad is going to happen, but thanks to Iris having a premonition, everyone is saved. Decades later, we learn that the survivors all had families, and Death isn’t going to just stop with those who survived but also go after all the kids and grandkids those survivors were able to have due to Iris’ disruptive actions. These descendants include Kaitlyn Santa Juana’s Stefani and her younger brother Charlie (Teo Brines), who have spent many years dealing with crazy behavior by their estranged mother Darlene (Rya Kihlstedt). It turns out that their entire family is related to Iris, who is still alive (now played by Gabrielle Rose) and has been following Death’s swath in wiping out those who foolishly thought they could cheat him. 

Cinema Daily US had a chance to speak with Lipovsky and Stein about how they got on board the Final Destination franchise, changing the nature of the franchise with the newest installment, pushing the level of gore, casting the family at the heart of the film, as well as working with the late, great Tony Todd, who returns as Bloodworth, shooting his scenes shortly before his own sad death in 2024.

Also, look for our extensive franchise-wide discussion with producer Craig Perry later this week. Final Destination Bloodlines opens nationwide in theaters, including IMAX and 4DX, starting on Friday, May 16.

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Director: Zach Lipovsky, Adam B. Stein

Screenwriter:  Guy Busick, Lori Evans Taylor

Cast: Kaitlyn Santa Juana, Teo Briones, Richard Harmon, Owen Patrick Joyner, Gabrielle Rose, Brec Bassinger, Alex Zahara, Tony Todd, Rya Kihlstedt, Anna Lore, 

Producer: Craig Perry, Sheila Hanahan Taylor, Jon Watts, Dianne McGunigle, Toby Emmerich

Production Co: Practical Pictures, Freshman Year, Fireside Films

Distributor: New Line/Warner Bros.

Rating: R (Strong Violent/Grisly Accidents|Language)

Genre: Horror

Language: English

Release Date (Theaters): May 16, 2025 

Runtime: 1 hour 50 minutes

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