Tony Todd's Unscripted Farewell in Final Destination: A 'Bittersweet' Tribute to Fans

There’s no denying the excitement surrounding the release of the latest installment in the iconic Final Destination franchise. Final Destination: Bloodlines marks the sixth film in the series, and fans are thrilled to see the return of legend Tony Todd. Known for his chilling portrayal of the original Candyman, Todd delivered a powerful, unscripted monologue in the movie. According to producer Craig Perry, this speech made Todd's final appearance in the franchise "very bittersweet."

“We all knew that he was obviously quite ill,” Perry shared with Deadline in a recent interview discussing both the new film and his experience with the entire franchise, which began in 2000. “And it was pretty clear that this was going to be the last role he would play in a movie, and the fact that it was one of the Final Destination movies made it that much more poignant.”

Directors Zach Lipovsky and Adam Stein took a bold approach when filming Todd's scene, opting to allow him to speak directly from the heart rather than sticking to the script. “Our directors made a very shrewd decision to take the last couple of lines that were scripted and said, ‘Tony, just, just say what you would want to say to the fans. What would you like to impart to them in this moment?’” Perry explained. “So, everything that makes that scene so emotional is authentic because that was just Tony talking through the camera to the very fans who supported him for so many years. It was a very magical moment on set. It was an impactful moment, and it’s one I’ll take with me until I go to the grave.”

Warning! Spoilers for Final Destination: Bloodlines follow: