By Final Destination Bloodlines co-directors Adam Stein and Zach Lipovsky emphasize the significance of providing horror icon Tony Todd with a unique farewell in what ultimately became his last film.
“Collaborating with him was such an incredible privilege. I mean, he is truly legendary. We were aware of his health issues as we approached the development and production of this film, and we weren’t certain if he would want to take part,” Adam Stein shares with GamesRadar+. “However, he repeatedly stated, ‘Do not exclude me from this movie. I must be in this movie.’
“Upon arriving on set, he was exceptionally cheerful and thrilled to be there, eager to meet the new cast and to not only provide Bludworth a fitting conclusion but also a proper start – and a thorough understanding of who his character is as a person.”
Todd, perhaps most recognized for his iconic role in the cult horror classic Candyman, portrayed the enigmatic coroner William Bludworth in Final Destination, Final Destination 2, and Final Destination 5. In each installment, he outlines the rules of Death to groups of teenagers desperately attempting to evade their grim fate as Death pursues them.
In Bloodlines, Stefani and her crew need assistance from someone who previously outsmarted Death—leading them to a hospital morgue, where they discover the very Bludworth amidst several autopsied bodies.
“We collaborated intimately with him to not only craft a farewell in the film for his character to the others, but also to create what we felt might serve as a goodbye to the audience, given that these Final Destination films take several years to produce,” Stein explains.
“We understood this would likely be his final Final Destination movie. We