Skip to Content
Podcasts

Podcast: ‘Final Destination Bloodlines’ Gets Uncertified

Matt Donato and Matthew Monagle discuss 'Final Destination Bloodlines' from very different 'Final Destination' backgrounds.

Owen Joyner Final Destination Bloodlines

Warner Bros. Pictures

When the first Final Destination movie hit theaters in March 2000, nobody could have known we were witnessing the start of a decades-spanning horror franchise. But after a 14-year gap between the fifth and sixth movies, the franchise is finally back with Final Destination Bloodlines, which features an opening premonition up there with the best of the franchise - and a touching sendoff to franchise icon Tony Todd, who passed away last year.

In 1968, a young woman named Iris Campbell (Brec Bassinger) dies tragically alongside hundreds of others during the collapse of a high-rise restaurant. Except this is a Final Destination movie, which means Iris didn't die that night; she caught a glimpse of the destruction to come and saved herself from this disaster. Now, generations later, her granddaughter Stefani (Kaitlyn Santa Juana) is having visions of the disaster that never happened, and soon Stefani will unearth the dark secret we already know: that death is a family affair. Directed by Zach Lipovsky and Adam Stein from a screenplay by Guy Busick and Lori Evans Taylor, Final Destination Bloodlines is a welcome reboot for every Millennial's favorite horror franchise.

In this short excerpt from the episode, Matt Donato explains why the familial conceit of the film works so well:

They're not just high schoolers that go to the same school. They're not just people who are randomly here or there and just happen to survive something crazy because of a premonition someone has. This is a family. These are people that really care about each other and want each other to live. So the stakes are higher.

The Final Destination Bloodlines episode of the Certified Forgotten podcast is now available to stream on SpotifyApple PodcastsYouTube Music, or the podcast platform of your choice.

If you enjoyed this article, please share it on social media! Word of mouth is everything for independent publications likes ours.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Certified Forgotten

‘The Sacrifice Game’ Brings Horror Home for the Holidays

Molly Henery shares horror for the holidays with her essay on Jenn Wexler's Christmas film 'The Sacrifice Game.'

December 23, 2025

Podcast: ‘Silent Night, Deadly Night’ Gets Uncertified

Matt Donato and Matthew Monagle sit down for a conversation about Mike P. Nelson's 'Silent Night, Deadly Night' remake

December 16, 2025

Podcast: ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s 2’ Gets Uncertified (with BJ Colangelo)

Film critic BJ Colangelo joins Matt Donato to discuss 'Five Nights at Freddy's 2,' the latest adaptation of the popular video game series.

December 5, 2025

Will Letterboxd’s Video Store Be Good for Indie Horror?

Film distribution guru James Emanuel Shapiro explains why Letterboxd's Video Store strategy has good intentions but tough sledding ahead.

December 1, 2025

Podcast: Meredith Borders on ‘The Peanut Butter Solution’

Fangoria senior editor Meredith Borders returns to the podcast to talk about gateway horror cult classic 'The Peanut Butter Solution.'

November 29, 2025

‘Spiral’ Is a Warning That Bleeds Through the Screen

Christine Makepeace explains why Kurtis David Harder's 'Spiral' has only increased in urgency since its release.

November 24, 2025
See all posts