Vancouver filmmaker Zachary Lipovsky has revealed that innovative thinking and an elaborate fake decapitation were pivotal in securing the directing role for “Final Destination: Bloodlines.” The supernatural horror film, which is set to hit theaters on Friday, is the sixth installment in the popular franchise that centers around individuals who narrowly escape death, only to have fate hunt them down through a series of gruesome accidents.
In collaboration with co-director Adam B. Stein, Lipovsky stated that they effectively had to audition for the directing role by transforming their Zoom pitch to Warner Bros. into an engaging and theatrical experience. During the pitch, they encountered an unexpected mishap when a back fireplace ignited the wall, prompting them to jump up and begin “screaming” in a mock panic.
As they doused the faux flames with a fire extinguisher and cleared the room for a follow-up, another bizarre incident occurred: a ceiling fan came loose and, in a staged manner, seemingly decapitated Stein, leading to fake blood spurting everywhere. Lipovsky humorously recounted, “And then we were like, ‘Any questions about our pitch?’” The carnage was premeditated, blending pre-recorded footage with practical effects to leave a lasting impression on the executives.
Joining the “Final Destination” franchise, which has a rich history in Vancouver, is a significant accomplishment for Lipovsky. He highlighted that all but one of the franchise's films were shot in his hometown, with many scenes featuring his actor friends. Lipovsky said, “I have a lot of friends who’ve died in the previous movies, and a lot of the disasters take place in different parts of the city.” He expressed a sense of pride in creating a major studio film that maintains close ties to the city that has been integral to the franchise.
In “Final Destination: Bloodlines,” Kaitlyn Santa Juana from Langley, B.C. stars as Stefani, a college student who inherits a decades-old premonition from her grandmother and must work to save her family as death picks them off one by one. The film opens in the 1960s with a disaster striking the fictional Skyview Tower, a 120-meter tall structure topped by a rooftop restaurant. The film's base was filmed at Vancouver’s Planetarium to help create its retro-futuristic appearance, while the catastrophic events were visually enhanced through custom-built sets and visual effects.
One of the directors, Stein, mentioned that their film includes a sequence that breaks the world record for the “oldest person set on fire” on-screen, featuring 71-year-old former stuntwoman Yvette Ferguson, who expressed excitement about performing her first fiery stunt. Stein shared, “She comes from a long family of stunt people...I’m so excited I finally get to do a burn!”
Since its inception in 2000, the “Final Destination” franchise has garnered a cult following and significant box office success, accumulating over US$650 million globally, largely due to its unique premise that revolves around the theme of not being able to cheat death. The previous installment was “Final Destination 5,” released in 2011, and the anticipation for “Bloodlines” has sparked creative publicity stunts, including a gruesome billboard showing two bodies, and a blood-splattered log truck resembling a scene from 2003’s “Final Destination 2.”
Despite initial doubts about producing another entry in 2025, Lipovsky and Stein found their concerns alleviated after reading a compelling new treatment by Jon Watts, the director of “Spider-Man: No Way Home.” They were also drawn to the emotional core of the story, which resonated with their previous work, “Freaks,” a sci-fi thriller released in 2018 that explored dark family secrets.
Their friendship and collaboration began on the 2007 Fox reality show “On the Lot,” and they previously co-directed the Disney Channel action comedy “Kim Possible” in 2019. The duo acknowledged that creating a film within the “Final Destination” franchise has heightened their awareness of the potential perils in everyday life. Lipovsky humorously remarked on how he avoids the SkyTrain grate outside his building, quipping, “I can’t have the headline: ‘Final Destination filmmaker dies falling through subway grate.’” With their experiences, they both noted how pervasive thoughts of death have become in their daily lives.
