New Line Cinema's next Final Destination film has found its directors.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, New Line has tapped Zach Lipovsky and Adam B. Stein to helm Final Destination 6. Lipovsky and Stein are known for their work on the acclaimed 2018 sci-fi thriller Freaks, which they wrote and directed. The pair also directed Disney's live-action Kim Possible film from 2019.
THR describes Final Destination 6 as a "relaunch" of the Final Destination franchise, the most recent entry in which hit theaters over a decade ago. The new film is produced by original Final Destination producer Craig Perry alongside fellow franchise veteran Sheila Hanahan Taylor, as well as Jon Watts (Spider-Man: No Way Home, Star Wars: Skeleton Crew) and Dianne McGunigle (Atlanta). Watts also wrote the treatment for Final Destination 6, the screenplay for which is being penned by Guy Busick (Ready or Not, Scream) and Lori Evans Taylor (Wicked Wicked Games).
Directing Final Destination 6 has proven to be one of the most sought-after jobs in the world of horror. According to THR, it took New Line most of the year to make a decision, with over 200 candidates vying for the gig. "It was rare that something this big was available and ready for a reboot," one anonymous insider explained. Evidently, it was Lipovsky and Stein's strong ideas and their passion for the Final Destination franchise that made them stand out to New Line's executives. In fact, Lipovsky and Stein apparently took an unorthodox approach to their pitch for the film.
Sources say the two were "already in line to land the gig" when they met with the execs for what would come to be known as "the Zoom call to end all Zoom calls." During the meeting, Lipovsky and Stein had a fireplace burning behind them. As things were wrapping up, the mantle above the fireplace began burning, with Lipovsky and Stein moving to quickly extinguish the flames. Everyone was relieved that the emergency was resolved quickly -- only for a ceiling fan to fly down and "decapitate" one of the filmmakers. Lipovsky and Stein achieved this shocking visual through the use of prerecorded footage and special effects. According to THR, the execs and producers in attendance "went from concern to all-out laughter."
Final Destination: The Bloody Road So Far
At this time, the specific plot details for Final Destination 6 are being kept tightly under wraps. However, the general premise remains the same as what fans have come to expect from the franchise. In the film, a character has a premonition of a disastrous event, using their foreknowledge to avoid their own death, as well as save the lives of others. However, Death itself then begins to hunt down the survivors one by one.
Directed by James Wong, the original Final Destination released in theaters in 2000. Final Destination 2, a sequel directed by David R. Ellis, followed suit in 2003. Wong returned to helm Final Destination 3 in 2006, with Ellis returning to helm the franchise's fourth film, The Final Destination, in 2009. Steven Quale directed the series' fifth and most recent film, Final Destination 5, which hit theaters in 2011 before the franchise entered a state of hibernation.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter