Did You Know That Final Destination Franchise Started As A Rejected X-Files Episode?

Let's be honest for a second, when your plane is about to take off, your mind suddenly goes to all sorts of horrifying places in just a matter of seconds. We know that feeling all too well.

And for millions of movie lovers worldwide (us included, of course), these anxious thoughts are forever linked to one particular movie franchise.

If you've ever found yourself checking your rearview mirror a few extra times or hesitating before stepping onto an escalator, you're probably familiar with Final Destination. There's no masked killer wielding a chainsaw. Instead, the antagonist is Death itself, an invisible force orchestrating accidents that feel unnervingly possible.

And what's even more interesting is that behind this pop culture phenomenon lies an absolutely fascinating origin story that sounds almost too good to be true.

Now as we wait for the next chapter of the franchise's return, it's time to look back at what brought this horror classic to life.

Rejected X-Files Episode Turned Into Final Destination

Back in 1996, aspiring screenwriter Jeffrey Reddick came across a newspaper article about the tragic crash of a Boeing 747 near New York City. Low and behold, this real-life disaster sparked an idea that would eventually revolutionize the horror genre as it is, but not in the way he had originally planned it.

Reddick crafted the concept into a spec script for The X-Files. Later, he revealed:

"I decided to use the basic concept of people cheating Death as the catalyst. But when you write a spec for a series, you want to follow the framework of the show and go deeper. So, I had Scully's brother have the premonition, which made the story more personal."

But his original plans were never meant to come true (much to our relief!).

None other than Chris Carter, the creator of X-Files himself, rejected the script. However, it caught the attention of producers Glen Morgan and James Wong. They saw something special in Reddick's concept that goes way beyond just one episode. After some rewrites and pitches, New Line Cinema gave the green light to the iconic franchise.

The rest, as they say, is history. Now, talk about being at the right place at the right time! Are we right?

The script for the single X-Files episode transformed into a cultural phenomenon that forever changed how we look at everyday things. And we still can't decide if that's a blessing or a curse.

And as we wait for the Final Destination: Bloodlines, we can't stop thinking that there's something poetically fitting about the franchise's origin story. And yes, see you at the theaters on May 16, but remember – you simply can't cheat death.