‘Final Destination Bloodlines’ Breaks a Tradition Tying It to the X-Men

Final Destination Bloodlines is the long-awaited return of the long-lasting horror franchise. As arduous because it is likely to be to imagine, it has been 14 years for the reason that earlier entry within the franchise, Final Destination 5, hit theaters. That additionally means it has been 25 years for the reason that collection began in 2000 with what appeared like an ordinary mid-budget horror movie, Final Destination. This sixth entry within the franchise each continues the collection and serves as a brand new jumping-on level for viewers, therefore the subtitle Bloodlines, versus a really daunting “6,” which might indicate audiences have a sure degree of familiarity with prior movies.

Fans accustomed to the Final Destination collection will know {that a} good a part of the film’s mythology is discovering patterns and searching for indicators about how Death will lastly get somebody who cheated it. Final Destination Bloodlines‘ choice to launch in 2025 breaks a long-running sample, however did so with out anybody noticing. While it will not spell box-office doom for Final Destination Bloodlines (because it appears to be like on the greatest opening weekend within the franchise’s historical past), this marks the primary time a Final Destination film would not open the identical yr as an X-Men film.

Final Destination Bloodlines

Release Date

May 16, 2025

Runtime

109 Minutes

Director

Zach Lipovsky, Adam B. Stein

Producers

Craig Perry, Jon Watts, Dianne McGunigle

• 

  Kaitlyn Santa Juana

  Stephanie Lewis

• 

  Teo Briones

  Charlie Lewis

‘Final Destination’ and ‘X-Men’s Hidden History

X-Men? What does a horror franchise about Death killing individuals in elaborate Rube Goldberg-type traps have in widespread with a superhero collection? Aside from Final Destination originating as a spec script for The X-Files and subsequently linking the 2 franchises by the twenty fourth letter within the alphabet, for over a decade, a Final Destination movie and an X-Men film would open in the identical yr. The first 5 movies within the X-Men franchise had been launched the identical yr as all 5 entries within the unique Final Destination saga. See the chart under.

Related

All Final Destination Movies, Ranked by Box Office Gross

Ahead of Final Destination’s sixth installment, this is a glance again on the worldwide earnings of all of the movies within the franchise.

For The Final Destination, the fourth movie within the franchise and initially meant to be the ultimate movie, New Line Cinema determined to provide it a summer time launch date, although it prevented plenty of large competitors by opening over Labor Day weekend. With a giant 3D gimmick, 4 months earlier than Avatar would have each studio changing their movies to the format, New Line was assured of their choice, and that meant 2009’s summer time film season started with an X-Men movie and ended with a Final Destination film.

2011 noticed the discharge of X-Men: First Class and Final Destination 5, each prequels to the occasions of their respective unique 2000 movies. Final Destination 5 put the horror franchise on maintain till the latest launch of Final Destination Bloodlines, ​​​​​​whereas the X-Men movies stored transferring with eight new entries (9 for those who take into account Deadpool & Wolverine to be a low-key X-Men film). With Deadpool & Wolverine in 2024 and the X-Men-centric Avengers: Doomsday in 2026, Final Destination Bloodlines is being launched between the 2 movies, lacking out on a pairing between the 2 related franchises.

‘Final Destination’ and ‘X-Men’ Have Grown Together

While 2025 marks the primary time that the X-Men and Final Destination franchises haven’t opened in the identical yr, it’s fascinating to have a look at the place each franchises are actually. Both franchises are largely working off their unique continuity, with Final Destination Bloodlines not solely including a grander mythology to the prior entries but in addition bringing again actor Tony Todd for what’s going to now be his final posthumous launch. Meanwhile, names like James Marsden, Alan Cumming, Rebecca Romiljn, and Kelsey Grammer are returning to play their X-Men roles in Avengers: Doomsday regardless of having been recast with youthful actors for the 2010 prequel collection.

Related

Why Are There So Many X-Men in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’? I Think I Know the Answer

‘Avengers: Doomsday’ options many X-Men characters, suggesting the MCU will merge two iconic Marvel storylines for the team-up film.

Yet regardless of each relying closely on the previous, they’re additionally shiny new futures. Final Destination Bloodlines is each a sixth entry and a brand new start line within the collection, utilizing the 14-year hole between releases to court docket nostalgic audiences who grew up with the unique movies, but in addition a brand new, youthful viewers who by no means obtained to see the unique movies in theaters. Meanwhile, regardless of bringing again lots of the unique X-Men for Avengers: Doomsday, Marvel Studios can be trying to reboot the franchise following Avengers: Secret Wars. The traditional X-Men are getting their last bow earlier than a brand new period of the X-Men movie collection begins.

Looking ahead, if Marvel Studios picks X-Men as one in all their titles for his or her twentieth anniversary, then there’s a likelihood order can be restored, and Final Destination and X-Men can be launched alongside one another as soon as once more.