The eagerly anticipated next installment of Final Destination has officially found its director. Belgian filmmaker Michiel Blanchart has been chosen to helm New Line’s continuation of the franchise following Final Destination: Bloodlines.
While no formal offer has been extended yet, Blanchart, poised to make his English-language directorial debut, emerged as the frontrunner during a brief and vigorous search. The film industry has been closely monitoring the selection process following the successful release of Bloodlines, which debuted at No. 1 globally, marking the most lucrative opening weekend in the six-film series history and securing its place as the highest-grossing installment in the 25-year-old franchise. Released in May, the film accumulated over $314.6 million at the worldwide box office, with $138.1 million from domestic audiences, and it is yet to premiere in Japan. Directing duo Zach Lipovsky and Adam Stein chosen for Bloodlines have opted not to return for the new installment.
Lori Evans Taylor, who collaborated with Gary Busick on the screenplay for Bloodlines, is tasked with writing the script for the upcoming film.
Returning producers include franchise steward Craig Perry alongside veteran associate Sheila Hanahan Taylor, as well as Jon Watts, Dianne McGunigle, and executive producer Toby Emmerich. Warren Zide will serve as executive producer.
The Final Destination franchise became a surprising success for New Line in the early 2000s, with a unique premise that readily translated across various films and settings. Each movie revolves around a character who experiences a premonition of a catastrophic event. After cheating death and saving several others’ lives, they soon discover that Death, depicted as an unrelenting force, seeks vengeance on the survivors one by one.
Currently, the Final Destination franchise has grossed over $1 billion globally, making it New Line’s third-largest horror franchise, trailing only the $2.73 billion earned by the Conjuring universe and the $1.2 billion from the It films.
Although Blanchart has only one feature credit to date, he is no stranger to acclaim. His short film You’re Dead, Hélène (T’es morte, Hélène) was shortlisted for the best live-action short film category at the 2023 Academy Awards. The film tells the story of a man attempting to break up with his girlfriend, who happens to be a ghost and is none too pleased about being dumped. An English-language adaptation is currently in development at Tri-Star, produced by Sam Raimi.
In 2024, Blanchart made his feature film debut with Night Call (Le nuit se traine), an action crime thriller that received positive reviews not only for its gripping narrative comparable to Collateral but also its relevant social commentary. The film was a standout at the Magritte Awards, sweeping 10 of its 11 nominations, including best film, best directorial debut, best screenplay, and best director.
Blanchart is represented by WME and Ithaka Media.
Based on reporting by Hollywood Reporter. Read the full story at Hollywood Reporter.