The original script for a group of teenagers that escape death. This occurs when Alex (Sawa) receives a premonition that the plane ride he is boarding will experience a catastrophic explosion. Alex and several others leave before the explosion occurs. But soon, patiently, and in often elaborate and gruesome ways, Death arrives to take the lives of those who were meant to die on the plane.
From this simple premise, originally conceived by screenwriter Jeffrey Riddick as a story for an episode of characters wind up dead. The horror staple could have unfolded in a much more different and darker way, however.
In a detailed lookback at Final Destination conducted by the elaborate kill scenes which have become a signature of the films. Had the original vision of Riddick continued without alteration, then the protagonists of Final Destination would have been tormented by Death and driven to take their own lives after their biggest fears get exploited.
Specifying how some of the deaths would have played out on screen, Riddick mentions that Tod, (Chad E. Donella), would have hung himself in his garage. His lifeless body would then be discovered by his father. Another character, played by Kerr Smith, would have jumped in front of a subway train after being overcome by guilt and grief at the loss of his girlfriend. These scenes resemble some of the deaths that do take place in Final Destination, but of course suicide would have shrouded the running time in a very somber tone.
It’s hard to imagine how the writers could have balanced that tone with the necessity of being an entertaining film. It’s even harder to imagine how sequels, based on the conceit of tormented people ending it all, would have been justified. The change likely saved the Final Destination project, resulting in a reliably fun franchise. With a sixth installment planned, hopefully there will be an explanation for why the protagonist receives a premonition if they’re still slated to die anyway.
Source: Consequences of Sound (via Comic Book)
