Prior to the release of Final Destination 5 in 2011, series actor Tony Todd stated that if the film were to be successful, two sequels would be filmed back-to-back.[2]
In January 2019, New Line Cinema announced a new installment was in development. Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan wrote the initial script, described as a "re-imagining" of the franchise.[3] In March 2020, series producer Craig Perry said the film would be set "in the world of first responders", featuring EMTs, firefighters, and police officers. When asked if it was in the same canon as the previous installments, he said, "Reboot is probably too strong of a word ... it makes it sound like they're going to change everything, but it's definitely a Final Destination movie".[4] In October, series creator Jeffrey Reddick confirmed a sixth film had been in the works prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.[5]
In October 2021, Lori Evans Taylor was reported to be the new writer for the film.[6] In January 2022, HBO Max announced it would distribute the film, Jon Watts joined the project as a producer, and Taylor was confirmed to have written the screenplay alongside Guy Busick.[7] In July, Reddick said the film would differ from the franchise's formula.[8] In September, Zach Lipovsky and Adam Stein were selected from over two hundred candidates to direct the film. During a Zoom meeting with executives and producers from New Line to make their pitch, Lipovsky and Stein staged a freak accident like the ones in the film franchise at the end of the call; insiders said the joke, which featured a combination of prerecorded footage and visual effects and showed the filmmakers' passion for the film, got them hired.[9]
Principal photography was scheduled to take place in Vancouver, British Columbia, from July 31 to October 13, 2023,[11] but in mid-July, production was delayed due to the SAG-AFTRA strike.[12] With Christian Sebaldt serving as cinematographer, filming instead took place in Vancouver from March 4 to May 6, 2024.[13][14]
Release
Final Destination: Bloodlines is scheduled to be released in the United States by Warner Bros. Pictures in 2025.[13]