The directors ofFinal Destination Bloodlineshave finally talked about the film’s ending, revealing an alternate ending that the sixthFinal Destinationmovie almost went with.Final Destination Bloodlineshas quickly become one of themost beloved films in theFinal Destinationfranchise, and while it ends on a similar note to its predecessors, this wasn’t always the case.
Speaking with Screen Rant’s Ash Crossan,Final Destination Bloodlinesdirectors Adam Stein & Zach Lipovsky were asked if they ever considered keeping the main two characters, Stefani and Charlie, alive. The duo died in a freak accident atthe end ofFinal Destination Bloodlines, but as the duo directed, this wasn’t the original ending.
Stein mentions how all kinds of possibilities were explored for the film’s ending during the developmental stages. The co-director reveals thatone of these potential endings saw Stefani make it to Iris' old cabin, where she remained so that Charlie could continue living. However, the team decided against using that melancholy conclusion due to how it didn’t fit with the franchise. Here are Stein’s full comments:
Yeah, the script went through so many different versions, and we explored every different possibility. I think one of the early drafts of the script ended with Stefani making it inside the cabin and basically ended with her, that she’s going to live the rest of her life in the cabin to protect Charlie. It sort of had this depressing feeling in the end. It was like, “Oh, okay, I get it. She’s the new Iris. She’s going to live her whole life in the cabin to protect her little brother.” It kind of emotionally made sense, but not in terms of the moviegoing experience. It kind of ended on a sad, melancholy note, which just didn’t feel right for Final Destination. You kind of want people to leave with a spring in their step and a smile on their face. And so we went through lots of different versions with the key thing being unpredictability. How do you make people think they know what’s going to happen and then twist it, while also leaving them with a smile on their face when they leave the theater? So it’s a lot of tricky things to balance there. But yeah, we definitely explored lots of possibilities.
Later, Stein elaborated onthe full circle moment with the logs at the end of the movie. Considering many people mention logs when referring toFinal Destination, the team knew that logs needed to be in the movie, but also had to feel earned.
Well, we knew there needed to be logs somewhere in the movie. Every time — from the time we got hired — whenever anyone talked to us about Final Destination, the first thing they said is logs. And we’re like, “There needs to be logs in this movie. How do you do it in a way that feels earned, and feels like it does justice to the iconic diva that is the logs?”
What This Alternate Ending Means For Final Destination Bloodlines
It Was Changed To Fit The Franchise’s Tone
It is interesting to know that the ending ofFinal Destination Bloodlineswasn’t always the final ending, and it is incredibly interesting to know why it was changed.Stefani moving into Iris' cabinfeels like the ending that was set up by the movie’s story. The film’s final ending feels a bit out of nowhere, with some fans not being huge fans of it.
However, out-of-nowhere endings have been core to theFinal Destinationfranchise since the very beginning. SeveralFinal Destinationmovies have ended with the main characters suddenly being killedjust as they think they are out of Death’s game. So, Stein is right in saying that this more thematic ending wasn’t what audiences were expecting.
Our Take On Final Destination Bloodlines' Cut Ending
The Cut Ending May Have Been Better
Although the final ending ofFinal Destination Bloodlinesmakes sense for the tone of the franchise,the ending that Stein described seems like a better conclusion for the film. It would have tied into the familial aspect of the film, further connecting Stefani’s story to Iris' story, while also being a bit more in-character for Stefani.
After how prepared Iris was, it is odd that Stefani let her guard down so quickly, leading to herdeath with the log truck. It is pretty obvious that there was once a better ending forFinal Destination Bloodlines, and it is sad that this ending will never be seen.
