Clive Barker was the first choice to direct Final Destination

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

Recently we shared a fun story about how the FINAL DESTINATION franchise came to be. Read about that HERE. And hidden in the source article was a piece of info that – as a massive fan of BOOKS OF BLOOD – I found to be VERY interesting. It turns out that none other than NIGHTBREED and HELLRAISER director Clive Barker was New Line's first choice to helm the horror movie.

Series creator Jeffrey Reddick reveals:

They went to Clive Barker first, and he passed on it. Bob Shaye even approached me about James and Glen. He said, “What do you think of these X-Files guys?” And I said, “Oh, they’re amazing. I love their work.” I was excited to get them involved in the project.

Clive Barker's FINAL DESTINATION? How cool would THAT have been? Oh, well.

FINAL DESTINATION was ultimately directed by James Wong from a screenplay he co-wrote along with Glen Morgan and Jeffrey Reddick based on the original story by Reddick. Morgan also produced with Warren Zide and Craig Perry. It starred Devon Sawa, Ali Larter, Kerr Smith, and Tony Todd.

The final film begins: 

After a teenager has a terrifying vision of him and his friends dying in a plane crash, he prevents the accident only to have Death hunt them down, one by one.

Rated R for violence and terror, and for language, it sports a 34% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes with a Critics Consensus that reads: Despite a panel of X-Files' alums at the helm and a promising premise, flighty performances, and poor execution keep Final Destination from ever taking off.

Poor Clive isn't looking so hot these days … all of my love, sir!