On This Day in Horror History: Your Destination is Final!

It’s hard to believe it, but it’s been 14 years since James Wong changed the face of horror. How did he manage such a feat? By essentially giving death a mind of its own, complete with ill intention and a taste for the grotesque.

Final Destination was a slasher unlike any we’d encountered prior, and it made big waves among genre fans. The film opened in a wide release to just $10 million domestically, but quickly gained steam, eventually raking in more than $100 million in worldwide ticket sales.

To date five Final Destination films have been shot. Combined, the franchise has pulled in more than $662,000,000 theatrically. In the off chance that you’re unaware, that’s pretty damn amazing for anything genre related. Horror films aren’t typically powerhouse  blockbusters. Every now and then the occasional hit comes along, but franchises with proven track records like this aren’t necessarily typical.

Also of note, on this day exactly 20 years ago young gamers were treated to the release of Castlevania: Bloodlines, for the Sega Genesis. Interestingly enough, this is the only Castlevania title ever released for the Genesis. Kind of shocking, given the longevity of the brand and the abundance of titles released throughout the years for Nintendo platforms.