‘Final Destination' director shares why franchise still thrills after 25 years

James Wong, the director of Final Destination has shared his thoughts on why the series is still popular.

On the 25th anniversary of Final Destination, Wong said that believes the franchise's success comes from its unpredictable nature.

Speaking with Bloody Disgusting, Wong, who directed the first Final Destination film in 2000 and its third installment in 2006, said, "I went into the theater during the first run, because I love watching a movie with an audience."

"We suddenly saw a bunch of ushers from the theater walk in in the middle of the movie and just stand by the side," Wong said. "And I realised it was right before the bus hit. They just wanted to see the audience react."

He went on to add, "I think they did a whole advertising campaign where they had cameras on an actual audience, and popcorn’s flying and all that stuff."

Sharing the reason it "survived", Wong said, "That’s the reaction that I’m sort of most proud of in all my filmmaking. It’s so visceral and surprising. I really feel like that’s the kind of fun that 'Final Destination' delivers on a film-to-film basis. I think that’s why it survived."

Wong also explained the reason it's different from other horror films, saying, "Other franchises are based on the charisma of the killer, or the lack of charisma sometimes. The teenagers are really just fodder for the kill, and the fun is watching how Jason or Freddy kills them."

"For 'Final Destination', death itself is interchangeable within our lives. It could come from any direction. You don’t have to be at Camp Crystal Lake in order to to encounter the killer. The killer’s all around us. I think that idea is what makes it long lasting. It could be anything in the room that you’re in or the place that you’re traveling," James Wong stated.

It is worth mentioning that the fan-favourite series is set to return with Final Destination: Bloodlines, directed by Zach Lipovsky and Adam Stein, in May.