- Guide to binging in release and chronological order
- Sixth film released 16 May, 2025
- Film’s formula getting a shake up
There are currently five Final Destination films out there, with a sixth on the way. Each film features a group of friends escaping death after premonitions warn them of their fate. Death eventually catches up with them though, and in the most ridiculous and shocking circumstances, our protagonists meet their end.
Read more: Best Death Scenes in the Final Destination Franchise
The films are strong as standalone pieces, so picking a random one to watch is perfectly fine. However, if you’ve ever wanted to binge the horror flicks in release order or even chronological order (yes, there’s a slight difference), then we’ve got you covered.
Final Destination Release Order
The numbering on the films makes it mostly self-explanatory, but note that 2009’s The Final Destination breaks the trend. Technically it’s Final Destination 4, but they just decided to title it differently. Similarly, the upcoming Final Destination: Bloodlines is also referred to as Final Destination 6.
Once you’ve got head around the numbers, you can make your way through the franchise how most viewers originally saw it. Binging Final Destination with this route has its benefits.
The fifth instalment has a surprise twist and it’s only really effective if you’ve already seen the previous movies. Watching in release order preserves the surprise.
Also, Death’s rules and the way characters try to cheat their fate evolve. Each sequel introduces new theories about how to survive and it’s fun to watch that unfold.
The death scenes definitely get more creative and action-packed as the franchise progresses, which is helped by the special effects improving over time. Seeing it evolve gives you a greater appreciation for the films.
There’s something nice about the earlier 2000’s films looking so steeped in that time, in terms of filmmaking style and character costumes. Slowly over time it freshens up and starts to feel a tad modern, which, gore and guts aside, is an interesting journey in itself.
Final Destination (2000)
Final Destination 2 (2003)
Final Destination 3 (2006)
The Final Destination (2009)
Final Destination 5 (2011)
Final Destination: Bloodlines (2025)
Final Destination Chronological Order
*Includes spoilers.
Unless you want to be an absolute purist and look beyond the films and go back 150 years – yep, that’s right, there’s Victorian-era deaths in the 2005 novel Final Destination: Destination Zero – here’s a chronological look at the film franchise timeline.
And there isn’t a huge amount of difference, apart from the important twist that comes in the fifth film.
2011’s The Final Destination 5 is actually a prequel to the first film. Set in 2000, it follows a group who survive a suspension bridge collapse. Death eventually finds them and kills them off one by one – the first being Candice Hooper. Candice’s death scene in the gymnasium is widely regarded as the most horrific in the entire franchise.
The twist at the end of the film reveals that the two main characters unknowingly board Flight 180. The doomed flight is from the opening sequence of the first film, which brings the franchise full circle.
Final Destination: Bloodlines hits theaters on 16 May 16, 2025 and until its release, we can’t really place it in the chronological timeline. It’s been suggested that Death’s rules will be shaken up in the new film and the formula will move away from following a group of friends.
Final Destination 5 (2011)
Final Destination (2000)
Final Destination 2 (2003)
Final Destination 3 (2006)
The Final Destination (2009)
Final Destination: Bloodlines (2025)?
