Michiel Blanchart Set to Direct Next Final Destination Film

Belgian filmmaker Michiel Blanchart has been tapped to direct the next Final Destination film following the record success of Bloodlines. Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images

The Final Destination franchise has found its new director. Belgian filmmaker Michiel Blanchart, whose breakout short You’re Dead, Hélène earned an Oscar shortlist in 2023, is in line to helm New Line’s next entry in the billion-dollar horror series.

The project follows the success of Final Destination: Bloodlines, which opened No. 1 worldwide earlier this year and went on to gross more than $314 million at the global box office, making it the highest-grossing installment in the 25-year-old franchise. Zach Lipovsky and Adam Stein directed Bloodlines but opted not to return.

Lori Evans Taylor, who co-wrote Bloodlines with Gary Busick, is returning to script the new film. Franchise producer Craig Perry, alongside Sheila Hanahan Taylor, Jon Watts, Dianne McGunigle, and Toby Emmerich, are all producing, with Warren Zide executive producing.

Blanchart, who will make his English-language debut with the project, has quickly become one of Europe’s most intriguing genre voices. His short film You’re Dead, Hélène—a ghost story with dark comedic edges—is currently being adapted into an English-language feature with Sam Raimi producing. His feature debut, Night Call (La nuit se traîne), was hailed for its mix of thriller tension and social commentary, sweeping the 2024 Magritte Awards in Belgium with ten wins, including Best Film and Best Director.

Since its debut in 2000, the Final Destination series has built a reputation as one of New Line’s cornerstone horror properties, grossing over $1 billion worldwide. The concept—survivors of a deadly premonition who find themselves stalked by Death itself—has proved endlessly adaptable and consistently terrifying for audiences.

With Blanchart at the helm, the franchise now looks to expand its legacy with a fresh vision, while still leaning into the elaborate set pieces and inventive kills that have made it a staple of horror cinema for nearly three decades.