New Line Cinema is reportedly considering Belgian filmmaker Michiel Blanchart to direct the upcoming installment of the popular Final Destination franchise. While a formal offer has yet to be extended, Blanchart quickly emerged as a leading candidate after an extensive search to find the next visionary to steer the series. This project would mark Blanchart's English-language directorial debut, following in the footsteps of Zach Lipovsky and Adam Stein, who successfully revitalized the franchise with their acclaimed film, Final Destination Bloodlines.

The impetus for a new installment stems directly from the overwhelming success of Bloodlines, which achieved a franchise-best global box office haul of $285.3 million. Critical reception was equally strong, with a Certified Fresh score of 93% from critics and a Verified Hot 87% from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes. This success prompted New Line to officially greenlight a sequel last August. Lori Evans Taylor is confirmed to return to pen the screenplay, and key production team members, including longtime franchise steward Craig Perry, producer Sheila Hanahan Taylor, Jon Watts, his wife Dianne McGunigle, and Toby Emmerich, are expected to remain on board.

The decision for Lipovsky and Stein not to return to direct is not unexpected. They previously indicated that they felt they had largely depleted their creative ideas for a Final Destination film, having made the movie they believed "demanded to be made." Although they acknowledged that with time and collaboration, more anxiety-inducing demises and story concepts could be developed, they were not in a hurry to helm another project.

Blanchart presents an intriguing choice for the director's chair despite his relatively short resume. He has demonstrated notable filmmaking prowess, notably with his paranormal short film, You’re Dead, Hélène, which was shortlisted for Best Live-Action Short Film at the 2023 Academy Awards and is now slated for a feature-length adaptation with Sam Raimi as a producer. His 2024 work, the timely conspiracy thriller Night Call, garnered significant acclaim on the festival circuit and swept the Magritte Awards, Belgium's equivalent to the Oscars.

High expectations will surround Blanchart’s contribution to the series. The Final Destination franchise seemed dormant before Bloodlines proved, ironically, that these films could cheat death. However, the next movie will necessitate a fresh narrative direction, as the previous film concluded with no survivors. Bloodlines depicted a family ensnared by Death’s elaborate designs after the grandmother, Iris (portrayed by Gabrielle Rose/Brec Bassinger), saved numerous lives at a high-rise party through a premonition. Despite Stefani’s (Kaitlyn Santa Juana) desperate efforts to break the cycle, the film culminated in another catastrophic cargo accident that permanently ended the bloodline. Nevertheless, Bloodlines affirmed the franchise's potential to thrive with innovative concepts. Final Destination Bloodlines is currently available for streaming on HBO Max.