Final Destination May Owe Its Creepy Plane Wrecks to a 1961 Twilight Zone Episode

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It appears that the initial Final Destination movie might have been influenced by a 1961 episode of “Twilight Zone” titled “Twenty-Two.” The Final Destination series, which began in 2000, features Devon Sawa as the protagonist Alex Browning. In this horror film, Browning experiences a premonition that Flight 180, the plane he and his classmates were about to board, would explode. Despite attempting to warn others of his premonition, causing disarray and getting him and some others removed from the flight, the plane indeed explodes as he foresaw. Tragically, Death then begins systematically claiming the lives of the survivors in a series of grisly ways.

SPOILERS for Final Destination and The Twilight Zone follow.

The gripping tale of Final Destination has consistently been a hit, as all six movies have seen box office triumphs. Currently leading the pack is the newest addition to the series, Final Destination Bloodlines, which is not only topping the charts but also breaking franchise records, indicating that there remains a strong demand for intricate chain reactions of calamity reminiscent of Rube Goldberg. Interestingly, it’s possible that the highly successful Final Destination films may never have come to fruition if not for a 1961 episode of “The Twilight Zone” titled “Twenty-Two,” which shares a striking resemblance in concept.

There’s some debate about whether the movie “Final Destination” was influenced by the classic “Twilight Zone” episode or if it was just a coincidence, but the resemblances are quite significant. The story titled “Twenty-Two,” which is based on E.F. Benson’s short story “The Bus-Conductor,” follows Liz Powell as she experiences unsettling dreams about a morgue labeled Room 22 and a recurring nurse who says, “Room for one more, honey.” When Powell visits the airport to catch her flight to Miami, she starts noticing elements from her nightmares in reality. The flight attendant resembles the nurse from her dream, and the plane is designated Flight 22. Powell decides to leave, and as the plane departs, it blows up, much like what transpires at the start of “Final Destination.”

Final Destination Shares a Lot in Common with a Classic Twilight Zone Episode

In simpler terms, both “Final Destination” and a “Twilight Zone” episode feature characters who predict a plane explosion and it happening in reality. However, while the “Twilight Zone” story ends with the character escaping death, “Final Destination” focuses on the aftermath of Flight 180’s disaster. It builds upon the premise from the “Twilight Zone” episode, but instead delves into the devastating repercussions of outsmarting Death’s plan.

The formula for the movie “Final Destination” is now well-established, but it’s intriguing to ponder if it would have been created without “The Twilight Zone” and the episode “The Bus-Conductor” setting the stage first. Since its initial release, the story of “Final Destination” has grown with numerous additions, enriching the original concept. It’s exciting to see what fresh ideas future installments might introduce.

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2025-05-19 20:34