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Read the “X-Files” Script That Became ‘Final Destination’! (Exclusive)

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Final Destination, courtesy of New Line

One of our favorite genre shows is FOX’s “The X-Files,” while one of our favorite horror movies is New Line Cinema’s 2000 Final Destination.

What if the two were nearly one and the same?

We got in touch with Final Destination creator Jeffrey Reddick (@jeffreyareddick) who had a shocking never-before-seen relic to share exclusively with Bloody Disgusting readers.

Dated 1994, Reddick has made available (exclusive to Bloody Disgusting) the unused script for his “X-Files” pitch, ‘Flight 180.’

“It was really exciting to find it on an old floppy disc,” Reddick tells us. “I typed it in Word…since we didn’t have the luxury of Final Draft back then.

“It’s definitely fun to read…but I wrote it over 20 years ago, so I read some of it and cringed a little,” he added, explaining that as a screenwriter “You get better as you get older.”

‘Flight 180’ was written as a spec for an agent as “The X-Files” was Reddick’s favorite show at the time.

“I decided to use the basic concept of people cheating Death as the catalyst,” said Reddick, “But when you write a spec for a series, you want to follow the framework of the show and go deeper. So, I had Scully’s brother have the premonition, which made the story more personal. I won’t spoil the rest, but for the spec script, the concept isn’t front and center, it’s more about Scully, Mulder and her relationship with her brother.

“But when I decided to write it as a feature [Final Destination], I made the story all about the concept. And tweaked it.”

Reddick continues: “I think fans will be most interested in seeing how the kernel of the concept started in 1994. Death worked differently in this version. Since Mulder and Scully had the believer/skeptic relationship, I had to keep Death vague enough, but clear enough, to fit the concept and investigation into a one-hour show.

“But it’s interesting to see how this kernel evolved into the original draft of Flight 180 in 1997 – and finally the finished version of the 2000 Final Destination.”

While talking to Reddick, he revealed he’s been carrying some frustration for the past 15 years. Here, he clears the air about rumors that Final Destination was inspired by the real life crash of TWA Flight 800 in 1996.

“The biggest misconception about the original spec script is the one that has bothered me the most… When the movie came out in 2000, a lot of reviewers said the story was inspired by the real life crash of TWA Flight 800 in 1996. I got flack for that,” Reddick explained, “but I actually wrote this in 1994. I do think the director may have used news footage from the crash in the film, so that’s where that rumor came from.”

So, without further ado, here’s the spec script for ‘Flight 180’ (Reddick notes that this was never submitted to the show, but was expanded into a feature at the interest of New Line executive Mark Kaufman.)

X-Files Script 'Flight 180' shared via screenwriter Jeffrey Reddick

Horror movie fanatic who co-founded Bloody Disgusting in 2001. Producer on Southbound, V/H/S/2/3/94, SiREN, Under the Bed, and A Horrible Way to Die. Chicago-based. Horror, pizza and basketball connoisseur. Taco Bell daily. Franchise favs: Hellraiser, Child's Play, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Halloween, Scream and Friday the 13th. Horror 365 days a year.

Exclusives

‘Late Night With the Devil’ – Exclusive Clip Begins the Supernatural Horror on Halloween 1977

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The upcoming Late Night With the Devil is one of the most buzzed about horror movies of the year, currently 100% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes and earning rave reviews from both Stephen King and Kevin Smith. King raves that the film is “absolutely brilliant,” adding that he couldn’t take his eyes off it. Smith comments, “I love it. It’s Rosemary’s Baby meets Network.”

David Dastmalchian (Dune, The Suicide Squad) stars as the host of a late-night talk show that descends into a nightmare in the Ghostwatch and WNUF Halloween Special-inspired film.

IFC Films & Shudder will release the hotly anticipated Late Night with the Devil theatrically on March 22 before it heads to Shudder exclusively on April 19, 2024.

Begin the horror with a brand new EXCLUSIVE clip below…

David Dastmalchian stars as Jack Delroy, the charismatic host of “Night Owls,” and the film traces the ill-fated taping of a live Halloween special in 1977 plagued by a demonic presence.

The energetic and innovative feature hails from Australian writing-directing team Colin and Cameron Cairnes (100 Bloody Acres, Scare Campaign). 

The film premiered last year at SXSW. Meagan wrote in her review out of the fest, “Late Night with the Devil captures the chaotic energy of a late night show, embracing the irreverent comedy and stress of live television with a pastiche style. It’s a clever trojan horse for a surprising horror movie that goes full throttle on unhinged demonic mayhem.

“The ingenuity, the painstaking period recreation, a riveting performance by Dastmalchian, and a showstopper of a finale make for one Halloween event you won’t want to miss.”

Spooky Pictures founders Roy Lee (It, The Grudge, The Ring) and Steven Schneider (Pet Sematary, Paranormal Activity, Insidious), Derek Dauchy (“Al Kameen”) and Future Pictures’ Mat Govoni (“Lone Wolf”) and Adam White (“Lone Wolf”) and John Molloy are all producing.

Joel Anderson (Lake Mungo), Rami Yasin, and David Dastmalchian executive produce.

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