There’s no other franchise quite like Final Destination. Having spanned three decades, the series has been shockingly consistent. And I’m not talking about how, outside of the newest, they all released within three years of each other. This had a creative consistency you rarely see within the horror genre. The best entries can add extra layers to the mythology, without stepping on the toes of its predecessors. There’s a respect for the past, while still acknowledging that they have to take the series into the modern day. It’s been quite the impressive sight to behold, and I’m so excited that the series is back and as strong as ever!
With the recent success of the sixth entry, we thought it was time to go through this death-defying franchise and rank it. So we rewatched the series to see where all six entries stack up. Hopefully we get a seventh entry before too long that we can add to our list (hopefully towards the top).
| Film | Release Year | Opening Disaster | Mythology Addition | Signature Kill | Ranking Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Final Destination | 2009 | Racetrack crash | Heavy emphasis on 3D spectacle | Escalator death | #6 |
| Final Destination 3 | 2006 | Roller coaster derailment | Premonition clues hidden in photos | Tanning bed deaths | #5 |
| Final Destination: Bloodlines | 2025 | Multi-generational catastrophe | Generational curse expansion | Garbage truck kill | #4 |
| Final Destination 2 | 2003 | Logging truck highway pileup | Expanded rules of Death’s design | Fence bisecting death | #3 |
| Final Destination 5 | 2011 | Suspension bridge collapse | Lifespan-stealing concept | Gymnastics accident | #2 |
| Final Destination | 2000 | Plane explosion | Introduced Death’s design | Bus collision | #1 |
6. The Final Destination (2009)
- Director: David R. Ellis
- Writer(s): Eric Bress
- Opening Disaster: Speedway crash
- New Franchise Element: Heavy emphasis on 3D spectacle
- Tone: Theme-park horror
- Most Memorable Kill: Escalator sequence
- Strength: Fast-paced carnage and energetic set pieces
- Weakness: Thin characters and weak mythology expansion
- Legacy: Widely considered the weakest entry in the franchise
I agree with franchise producer Chris Perry that the fourth entry is easily the worst in the franchise. But that’s not saying that it’s all bad. I liken it to a theme park ride: you’re not going to get much substance, and it’s more about the ride. I made a whole video about why it sucks (which you can check out above) but yeah, this one mostly misses the point of what came before – even though director David R. Ellis and writer Eric Bress had previously worked on the second movie.
Best Kill: The Escalator (though technically occurs as part of a premonition)
5. Final Destination 3 (2006)
- Director: James Wong
- Writer(s): James Wong and Glen Morgan
- Opening Disaster: Roller coaster derailment
- New Franchise Element: Photographs containing hidden death clues
- Tone: Stylized teen horror
- Most Memorable Kill: Tanning bed deaths
- Strength: Clever foreshadowing and strong atmosphere
- Weakness: Less emotional depth than some entries
- Legacy: Became a cult favorite with younger horror fans
I will always love this for being the film that introduced the world to Mary Elizabeth Winstead. Final Destination writer/director James Wong and co-writer Glen Morgan returned to add something new to the mythology: the concept of photos giving hints to the brutal deaths we’ll be getting. It adds another element for the audience to look out for, bringing them along for the ride versus solely trying to shock.
Best Kill: The Tanning Bed Death Trap
4. Final Destination: Bloodlines (2025)
- Director(s): Zach Lipovsky and Adam B. Stein
- Writer(s): Guy Busick and Lori Evans Taylor
- Story By: Jon Watts
- Opening Disaster: Multi-generational catastrophe
- New Franchise Element: Family bloodline curse and inherited Death design
- Tone: Brutal, dread-heavy horror
- Most Memorable Kill: Garbage truck sequence
- Strength: Successfully revitalizes the franchise mythology
- Weakness: Slightly convoluted structure
- Legacy: Reinvigorated the series both critically and commercially
The latest entry has been absolutely lighting the box office afire, and it seems to be revitalizing the series. By introducing the generational wrinkle, directors Zach Lipovsky and Adam B. Stein and writers Guy Busick and Lori Evans Taylor (who were working from a story by MCU Spider-Man director Jon Watts) could have made things messy, but instead we got more deaths than we’ve ever seen in the series. While a tad convoluted, this one really makes sure you’re basking in dread and kills people off in a variety of unexpected and truly disgusting ways. The kills in this one are amongst the series’ best and worth the price of admission alone, and it also serves as a wonderful tribute to the late, great Tony Todd.
Best Kill: The Garbage Truck
3. Final Destination 2 (2003)
- Director: David R. Ellis
- Writer(s): J. Mackye Gruber and Eric Bress
- Story By: Jeffrey Reddick
- Opening Disaster: Logging truck highway pileup
- New Franchise Element: Expanded rules of Death’s design
- Tone: Chaotic suspense thriller
- Most Memorable Kill: Rory bisected by a fence
- Strength: One of the greatest opening sequences in horror history
- Weakness: Slightly uneven pacing in the middle act
- Legacy: Frequently considered the fan-favorite sequel
This movie could only have the opening logging truck highway accident, and it would still have high placement on this list because that was such an all-timer. I’ve spoken at length about why it may just be the greatest scene in the entire franchise, and it doesn’t let up after the introduction. Director David R. Ellis and writers J. Mackye Gruber and Eric Bress (who share story credit with Final Destination concept creator Jeffrey Reddick) deliver a bevy of incredible kills, and the film features a very entertaining ensemble cast that you want to see defeat death. Unfortunately for them, it doesn’t work out so well. But, as proven by Bloodlines, at least we now have confirmation about Kimberly’s fate.
Best Kill: Rory Gets Bisected By A Fence
2. Final Destination 5 (2011)
- Director: Steven Quale
- Writer: Eric Heisserer
- Opening Disaster: Suspension bridge collapse
- New Franchise Element: Lifespan-stealing concept
- Tone: Suspense-heavy supernatural thriller
- Most Memorable Kill: Gymnastics accident
- Strength: Smart mythology expansion and strong twist ending
- Weakness: Smaller cultural footprint than earlier films
- Legacy: A surprise late-franchise comeback that restored fan goodwill
Usually by this point a horror franchise has completely lost steam and is doing whatever it can to stay relevant. Yet director Steven Quale and writer Eric Heisserer decided to introduce a slasher element, with the concept of being able to take someone’s life expectancy for yourself. This has very interesting consequences and provides a unique wrinkle to death’s plans, without getting too over the top.
Best Kill: The Gymnastics Mishap
1. Final Destination (2000)
- Director: James Wong
- Writer(s): James Wong, Glen Morgan, and Jeffrey Reddick
- Opening Disaster: Plane explosion
- New Franchise Element: Introduced Death’s design mythology
- Tone: Suspense-driven supernatural horror
- Most Memorable Kill: Terry hit by the bus
- Strength: Original premise and escalating tension
- Weakness: Smaller-scale kills compared to later sequels
- Legacy: Defined an entire horror subgenre and launched a long-running franchise
How has it already been 25 years since this movie was released? The original is a modern-day horror classic that introduced us to the concept of trying to defy death, and it lit our imaginations on fire. Devon Sawa and Ali Larter are likable leads and we’re treated to some of the most interesting Rube Goldberg-style deaths, with Ms. Lewton and Tod being standouts. Thank you James Wong, Glen Morgan, and Jeffrey Reddick for kicking off such an amazing franchise!
Best Kill: Terry Gets Hit By The Bus
FAQ: Final Destination Movies Ranked
What is the best Final Destination movie?
By our ranking, Final Destination remains the strongest entry because it introduced the franchise’s iconic “Death’s design” mythology while balancing suspense, memorable kills, and likable characters.
Why is Final Destination 2 so popular?
Final Destination 2 is famous for its opening highway logging truck disaster, widely considered one of the most iconic horror sequences ever filmed.
Which Final Destination movie has the best kills?
The article highlights Final Destination: Bloodlines as having some of the franchise’s most elaborate and disgusting death scenes.
Is Final Destination: Bloodlines a reboot?
No. Final Destination: Bloodlines expands the existing mythology with a generational twist while remaining connected to previous films.
What makes Final Destination different from other horror franchises?
Unlike slasher franchises with a physical killer, the antagonist in the Final Destination series is Death itself, operating through elaborate chain-reaction accidents.
Which Final Destination movie introduced the “life expectancy transfer” concept?
Final Destination 5 introduced the idea that survivors could steal additional lifespan by killing someone else.
Who created the Final Destination franchise?
The franchise concept was created by Jeffrey Reddick, with major contributions from James Wong and Glen Morgan.
Which Final Destination movie is considered the weakest?
The article ranks The Final Destination as the weakest entry due to its lack of substance and overreliance on spectacle.
How would YOU rank the franchise? Let us know in the comments!
The comment section exists to allow readers to discuss the article constructively and respectfully, focused on the topic at hand.
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