Final Destination Bloodlines isn’t out in cinemas yet but has already broken a pretty impressive record with its opening scene.
The film — the sixth in the horror franchise — is directed by Zach Lipovsky and Adam Stein and is set to take place in different timelines.
The premonition sequence that kicks off the devastating events of the movie goes back to 1969 and stars 71-year-old Yvette Ferguson, the oldest stuntperson to be lit on fire on camera.
The actor and stuntwoman came back from retirement to film the scene as Mrs Fuller, one of the casualties of a huge fire in a restaurant atop the fictional 400-foot Skyview Tower.
“We lit so many different people on fire, including breaking the world record for oldest person on fire with Yvette Ferguson, who did that full body burn in the silver dress,” co-director Zach Lipovsky told Entertainment Weekly.
Warner Bros.
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“That was the oldest person ever on fire, on camera,” Lipovsky added.
As for Ferguson, the star described the scene as “one of my favourite stunts in my career” in her Instagram Stories, where she reposted a still from the film.
“Love to do again. Who gets to have fun like this at my age?” she quipped in response to a fan’s comment on her Instagram post.
Bloodlines star Brec Bassinger was present during the stunt, saying: “I was within [Ferguson’s] vicinity. God, it was beautiful. Everyone started clapping… She was so pumped.”
Bassinger plays young Iris Campbell, the grandmother to protagonist Stefani Lewis (Kaitlyn Santa Juana), a college student whose recurring nightmares might foretell her entire family’s demise.
Warner Bros.
Related: Final Destination: the definitive oral history by the people who made it
Bloodlines is penned by horror screenwriter Guy Busick with Lori Evans Taylor.
Busick is a frequent collaborator of directing duo Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, having written or co-written scripts for Ready or Not, Scream (2022), Scream VI, and Abigail, among others.
His upcoming writing credits include Scream 7 and sequel Ready or Not: Here I Come, on which Busick reunites with Ready or Not co-writer R Christopher Murphy.
Final Destination: Bloodlines releases on 14 May in the UK and 16 May in the US.
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Stefania is a freelance writer specialising in TV and movies. After graduating from City University, London, she covered LGBTQ+ news and pursued a career in entertainment journalism, with her work appearing in outlets including Little White Lies, The Skinny, Radio Times and Digital Spy.
Her beats are horror films and period dramas, especially if fronted by queer women. She can argue why Scream is the best slasher in four languages (and a half).