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When Death comes for you, there is nowhere to hide.

Final Destination is a horror franchise unlike any other. As described by franchise creator Jeffrey Reddick, Final Destination is a slasher film where the killer is the Grim Reaper himself. How can you run from an entity that has been around since the dawn of time? Each film in the franchise explores that question, as a group of survivors attempt to cheat death. Spoiler alert – you can only run from death for so long.

If you’ve ever wanted to watch the Final Destination films but haven’t been sure where to start, Popverse has you covered. This guide will tell you everything you need to know about how to watch the horror franchise.

How to watch Final Destination in release order

Watching Final Destination in release order is fairly simple since most of the films are numbered. Keep in mind, The Final Destination is technically Final Destination 4…they just titled it differently. Final Destination: Bloodlines could also be considered Final Destination 6. Once you have that straight, you will have no issues figuring out the release order. However, to make things easy for you, you can refer to the following list.

• Final Destination (2000)
• Final Destination 2 (2003)
• Final Destination 3 (2006)
• The Final Destination (2009)
• Final Destination 5 (2011)
• Final Destination: Bloodlines (2025)
  
  

How to watch Final Destination in chronological order

There isn’t much of a difference between Final Destination’s release order and the chronological order. The only difference is Final Destination 5 takes place before the first film. From there, the rest of the series plays out in release order. If you like timelines, here’s a detailed chronological look at the franchise. Final Destination Wiki and the Final Destination subreddit were invaluable resources while putting this timeline together.

• April 26-30, 1999: Final Destination 5
• May 13, 1999: Final Destination 5 (epilogue) and Final Destination (prologue)
• June 21-23, 1999: Final Destination (main story)
• May 13-15, 2000: Final Destination 2 (main story)
• October 2000: Final Destination 2 (epilogue)
• May 13, 2005: Final Destination 3 (prologue)
• May 27-June 5, 2005: Final Destination 3 (main story)
• January 6-13, 2009: The Final Destination (main story)
• January 27, 2009: The Final Destination (epilogue)

According to Final Destination: Bloodlines producer Craig Perry, the upcoming film will not be a reboot. However, until it’s released, we can’t determine its placement in the timeline. Final Destination: Bloodlines hits theaters on May 16, 2025.

What causes the deaths in Final Destination?  

The deaths in the Final Destination series are caused by Death aka the Grim Reaper. The character can be considered the villain of the franchise, even though they’re never actually seen. In this series, Death acts as a force of nature, manipulating the environment around the characters.

Think of it like a horror slasher flick. Death is the killer, but we never actually see them. Isn’t that wild?

The Final Destination movies usually begin with a character getting a premonition about their death. After avoiding said death, and encouraging others to do the same, Death will spend the rest of the film hunting the survivors.

The surviving characters are slowly killed due to freak accidents. While we never see Death directly, there are few allusions to the entity. For example, a mysterious black mass can be seen in the reflection of Valerie Lewton’s tea kettle during her death scene in the first Final Destination film.

Are all the Final Destination movies connected?

All the Final Destination films are set in the same cinematic universe. However, some of the films can be considered standalone stories in the franchise, which don’t require you to be familiar with the previous films. Final Destination 2 follows Clear Rivers story following the first movie. The rest of the films largely tell their own story, with little Easter eggs and references to let you know they’re in the same universe.

For example, William Bludworth is a recurring minor character throughout the series. Bludworth is the director of Bludworth Funeral Homes, and he usually shows up to advise the characters about the nature of death. Tony Todd, who plays Bludworth, will be reprising his role for the upcoming film Final Destination: Bloodlines.Is Final Destination 5 a prequel to Final Destination 1?

Warning – skip this section if you haven’t seen Final Destination 5 and want to remain unspoiled.

Still here? Okay…

Final Destination 5 is a prequel to the first Final Destination film. However, we don’t learn this until the film’s climax. Final Destination 5 ends with Sam Lawton and Molly Harper boarding a plane to Paris, believing they have escaped Death. However, we quickly learn that this is Volee Airlines Flight 180, the ill-fated flight from the first film. Sam and Molly perish when the plane explodes, and Nathan Sears dies when debris from the plane hits him at a nearby bar.

You don’t need to see the first Final Destination film to understand Final Destination 5, but it will help you appreciate the ending.  

Is Final Destination: Bloodlines a prequel?

As of this writing we don’t know if Final Destination: Bloodlines is a sequel or prequel. While its place in the timeline is uncertain, we do know that it’s not a reboot. Producer Craig Perry has already confirmed that it will be set in the same continuity as the rest of the series. Plus, Tony Todd will be reprising his role as William Bludworth, giving the film a connection to other entries. Beyond that, we don’t know where in the timeline it will take place. However, that shouldn’t make much of a difference, since the film will be telling a standalone story with new characters.

Is Final Wish connected to Final Destination?

The Final Wish is a 2018 horror film written by Jeffrey Riddick, the creator of the Final Destination franchise. The Final Wish focuses on people’s wishes coming true, but with unintended and sometimes violent consequences. In essence, it’s a modern twist on the classic Monkey’s Paw story.

While The Final Wish has a similar name and shares a creator with Final Destination, the two films aren’t connected. Unless Riddick tells us otherwise, Final Wish is not set in the same cinematic universe as the Final Destination franchise.

What about the Final Destination novels and comics?

If you’ve watched all the Final Destination movies and you’re hungry for more, then you’ll be pleased to know that the franchise has also told stories in novels and comic books. Here’s a quick breakdown of what’s been published.

Final Destination novels

In 2005 and 2006 Black Flame Publishing released a total of nine Final Destination novels. Of the released novels, 6 of them were original stories, while three of them were adaptations of the films. The original stories followed the same format as the movies, with a group of characters narrowly escaping a disaster, and being hunted by Death for the remainder of the story.

Final Destination: Death of the Senses contained a printing error, forcing the book to be recalled. As a result, it’s rare to find a copy online or in bookstores. The printing error was one of the reasons Black Flame Publishing was forced to declare bankruptcy, ending their Final Destination book series.

• Final Destination: Dead Reckoning by Natasha Rhodes (2005)  
• Final Destination: Destination Zero by David McIntree (2005)  
• Final Destination: End of the Line by Rebecca Levene (2005)  
• Final Destination: Dead Man’s Hand by Steven A. Roman (2005)  
• Final Destination: Looks Could Kill by Nancy A. Collins (2005)  
• Final Destination (novelization) by Natasha Rhodes (2006)
• Final Destination 2 (novelization) by Nancy A. Collins and Natasha Rhodes (2006)
• Final Destination 3 (novelization) by Christa Faust (2006)
• Final Destination: Death of the Senses by Andy McDermott (2006)

A novel called Final Destination: Wipeout was planned. The unreleased novel by Alex Johnson would’ve been set in Hawaii, but it was cancelled when Black Flame Publishing ran into money problems.

Final Destination comics

In 2006 Zenescope Entertainment published 2 Final Destination comics. The first comic, Final Destination: Sacrifice, was exclusively sold at Circuit City (yes, Circuit City) packaged with the Final Destination 3 DVD. Final Destination: Spring Break was a 5 issue mini-series. When Spring Break was collected in trade paperback form, it included Sacrifice as a special feature, giving the mini-comic a wider release.

• Final Destination: Sacrifice (2006)
• Final Destination: Spring Break (2006)

Where can I watch Final Destination?

As of this writing, only two of the Final Destination films are available on a streaming service. The first Final Destination film can be found on Paramount+. The Final Destination (aka Final Destination 4) is currently streaming on Max. Don’t worry, there are other ways to watch the rest of the series.

While Final Destination 2, 3, and 5 aren’t on any streaming services, they can still be purchased or rented digitally from a variety of video-on-demand platforms, such as Google Play, Prime Video, and Fandango at Home. Please note, the availability of these films might change as streaming licenses expire and new deals are made.

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