Are you a fan of the Final Destination franchise?
The bloodytastic horror franchise first emerged in 2000, with teenage heartthrob Devon Sawa at the helm of a chilling tale about a teenager who had a premonition about a plane crash.
But it wasn’t just any crash. This one ultimately came true before their horrified eyes, setting him and others up on a devastating dance with death itself.
The film spawned several sequels, the most recent of which was released just this year, making the franchise one of the longest-running in horror history.
I recently saw Final Destination Bloodlines, and while it wasn’t my favorite of the franchise (that distinction remains with Final Destination 3), it got me thinking.
What would the entire concept of the films look like if there were more time to expand upon the characters and their stories?
And the obvious way to do that would be to bring it to television.
We’ve seen horror films make their way to television before, most recently with the well-received Chucky series and The Purge. And don’t forget that Crystal Lake is coming, too.
There’s a market for these kinds of big-screen to small-screen adaptations, as audiences will always be curious to see how a movie’s storyline translates into episodic television.
In the case of Final Destination, the premise could easily be spread out over 10-12 episodes, which is the 2025 soft spot for television seasons.
You introduce your protagonist, a la Devon Sawa or A.J. Cook, and within that very first hour, we get a crash course in meeting all the main characters who will slowly meet death face-to-face as the season unfolds.
The two pillars of the franchise have always been the opening disaster and the subsequent chain reaction deaths.
Naturally, the first hour would revolve around the big event that brings all our characters together, and also sets death’s design into motion.
Now, with the budget for television being a much different animal than the one for film, I wouldn’t expect anything akin to a rollercoaster ride gone wrong or a massive bridge collapse.
However, there are plenty of large-scale emergencies that could occur for little cost; the powers that be would have to get more creative.
While the films are known for the splashy opening act with the gory deaths, a television series could really lean into that by dedicating a large portion of time to it, just as the films do.
There may be a boating disaster, or something goes horrifically wrong on the opening day of a baseball game.
All you have to do is look to 9-1-1 for inspiration on how to make a massive disaster feel larger than life on the small screen. They’ve been perfecting the art for years.
Once you get beyond the disaster and see a glimpse into the future, that’s when the fun begins.
Because even though we all know what comes next — people dying in spectacularly brutal ways — in a television format, you’d get to know them, and their deaths would have more meaning. We want soul crushers!
The bloody spectacles would still exist, but whereas they are the main thing that gets you through the two-hour run time of a movie, you’d now get to meet these characters earnestly.
You’d be invested beyond just rooting for them to cheat the death sentence or find their way to the top of the food chain — you’d be invested in their future.
Each season would be its own individual story, like American Horror Story, with new main characters and new deadly situations introduced. And of course, there would have to be a twist or two to keep audiences on their toes.
Even though we all know what to expect going into a Final Destination film, there’s always something that blows your mind a little bit, and that’s always been the secret sauce of the whole franchise.
And, hey, maybe they can call up Devon Sawa to see if he’d like to square up with death one more time on-screen.
If there’s one thing a horror fan loves, it’s a legacy callback.
Have I convinced you? Do you now want to see Final Destination: The Series make its way to a streaming service near you?
Let me know in the comments if you’re into this idea, and if there are any other films you think would translate well to television!
Watch Final Destination Online
-
13 TV Shows That Weren’t Afraid to Get Political
From The Handmaid’s Tale to Boston Legal, these 13 shows weren’t afraid to get political — tackling power, ideology, and the cost of compromise.
-
5 Ways Will Trent Should Use Franklin Now That He’s One of the Gang
Now that Kevin Daniels is a series regular, we’ve compiled a list of how Will Trent can use Franklin better in Season 4.
-
Your Official Rainmaker Prep Kit: 13 Legal Thrillers and Blue Sky Favorites to Get You Courtroom-Ready
Get in fighting shape for The Rainmaker! 13 high-stakes legal thrillers & Blue Sky favorites to prime you for USA’s next big courtroom win.
The post Why It’s Time For Final Destination To Meet Its Fate On TV appeared first on TV Fanatic.
Read the original article here