All Five Final Destination Films Ranked by Box Office Returns
The Final Destination franchise stands as one of the most consistently enjoyable horror series. Each film in the canon serves up macabre death sequences that are as inventive as they are gruesome. The franchise has developed a loyal fanbase by exploring various scenarios where a group of people manages to cheat death. But, they quickly realize that disrupting the natural order of things comes at a cost.
The first five films in the series delivered impressive box office returns. So much so that a sixth installment is being developed for HBO Max. And with that in mind, we thought now would be a great time to look back on the franchise and rank each installment based on international box office returns. And we’re doing just that. Out of an abundance of caution, please make sure to hide the sharp objects and steer clear of busses, escalators, bathtubs, nail guns, tanning beds, and gymnasiums.
Final Destination 2 ($90,941,129)
The second series installment is the only entry in the franchise (to date) not to exceed the $100 million mark at the global box office. With that said, it lands near the top of my personal franchise ranking. The opening is nothing short of iconic, inspiring numerous memes about why an entire generation refuses to follow a log truck on the highway. It may be the lowest-grossing installment in the franchise but Final Destination 2 remains an iconic outing with likable characters and incredibly inventive effects work. My only qualm about this sophomore outing is that it makes the disappointing decision to unceremoniously kill off the final fella Alex Browning (played by Devon Sawa) who beat the odds and made it through the conclusion of the original film.
Final Destination ($112,880,294)
It’s a testament to the series’ staying power that the international box office of the first film is the second lowest. In so many cases, each successive franchise installment makes less than its predecessor until the series is ultimately relegated to direct-to-DVD releases, shot on a fraction of the budget allocated to theatrical fare. However, that’s not the case with Final Destination. In fact, the third, fourth, and fifth installments claim the top three spots on this list! That’s true momentum. It likely served as a driving factor behind the decision to greenlight a sixth outing.
Final Destination 3 ($118,890,272)
This campy sequel sits as the third-highest grossing installment in the series. It brings a whimsical energy to the proceedings. Final Destination 3 is a little lighter on actual scares than the first two installments. But the campier tone makes it a fun flick to put on and watch with a group of friends. The DVD release actually has a Choose-Your-Own-Adventure style component that allows the audience to make decisions at key moments in time. That was somewhat revolutionary at the time of the film’s home video release. I still think that component is pretty epic after all these years.
Final Destination 5 ($157,887,643)
The fifth outing in the Final Destination series snags the second spot from the top in the international box office gross rankings. This chapter brings the franchise full circle when all is said and done. The bridge disaster sequence is impressively rendered and the comedic overtones get delightfully dark at times. I waffle between this and the second as my favorite outings in the series. But if I were pressed, I would probably count this as my top pick of the five
The Final Destination ($186,167,139)
It seems slightly ironic that the most maligned entry in the franchise was actually the highest grossing. I don’t think The Final Destination is terrible, by any means. It’s simply the least effective installment in a highly effective franchise. I remember seeing the flick in 3D when it released theatrically and having a good time with it. And I’ve even revisited it a time or two since then. Granted, The Final Destination is a bit derivative. But that probably paved the way for the fifth franchise installment to subvert expectations with a killer twist that few saw coming.
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