There’s no denying how exciting it is to know there’s a new Final Destination movie in theaters right now. Final Destination: Bloodlines finally brings fans the sixth part of the iconic franchise, and it simply wouldn’t be a Final Destination film without the likes of legend Tony Todd. The late actor, who is best known for his terrifying turn as the original Candyman, gave a powerful monologue in the film — and it turns out the speech was unscripted, according to producer Craig Perry, who called Todd’s one final appearance “very bittersweet.”
“We all knew that he was obviously quite ill,” Perry told Deadline in a recent interview about both the new film and his experience producing on the entire franchise, which kicked off in 2000. “And it was pretty clear that this was going to be the last role he would play in a movie, and the fact that it was one of the Final Destination movies made it that more poignant.”
Perry revealed that directors Zach Lipovsky and Adam Stein took a risk when shooting Todd’s scene, deciding to let him speak from the heart instead of the script.
“Our directors, they made a very shrewd decision to take the last couple of lines that were scripted and said, ‘Tony, just, just say what you would want to say to the fans. What would you like to impart to them in this moment?’” the producer explained. “So, everything that makes that scene so emotional is authentic because that was just Tony talking through the camera to the very fans who supported him for so many years. It was a very magical moment on set. It was an impactful moment, and it’s one I’ll take with me until I go to the grave.”
Warning! Spoilers for Final Destination: Bloodlines follow:
Those who have seen the film already know what a tearjerker the scene is, but for those who haven’t (or don’t mind a bit of a spoiler), Todd’s unscripted speech is short but sweet: “I intend to enjoy the time I have left. And I suggest you do the same. Life is precious. Enjoy every single second. You never know when… Good luck.”
Final Destination was created by Jeffrey Reddick and hit theaters in 2000 to much acclaim. It spawned four sequel films (before Bloodlines, of course) over the years and is considered something of a cultural touchstone these days, if not for nothing else than that truck full of logs. You know the one. The previous film in the franchise, Final Destination 5, was released in 2011, so it has been nearly 15 years since we’ve had to decipher death’s design.
Todd died in November 2024 at age 69 after fighting a longtime illness. Final Destination: Bloodlines is in theaters now (and doing very well at the box office) — and when you go, don’t forget to say goodbye to one of the greatest horror, and acting in general, has had to offer us.
Lex Briscuso is a film and television critic and a freelance entertainment writer for IGN. You can follow her on Twitter at @nikonamerica.
