Tony Todd made his debut as the mysterious funeral home owner William Bludworth in the very first Final Destination film, and he has since appeared in every single sequel bar just one.
His character proved pivotal in explaining the often complex rules surrounding Death’s design, giving the ill-fated characters the basics about how if they cheated Death, it would come back for them. His character also offered up extra clues throughout the franchise about Death could be defeated.
Fans may not have noticed his presence in Final Destination 3, but he actually lent his voice to the animatronic devil figure at the theme park, and again as a subway announcer at the end of the film. The only film he didn’t appear in was the fourth, titled The Final Destination, but he was back again for 2011’s Final Destination 5.
After a 14-year hiatus, the franchise has finally returned this week with a sixth film, Final Destination: Bloodlines. The film sees Todd reprise his role as Bludworth for a final time, with the star tragically passing away last year.
What was Tony Todd’s cause of death?
The father-of-two died on November 6, 2024 from cancer. He was 69 years old.
Born in 1964 in Washington DC, he had a glittering career in the film industry. He appeared alongside Johnny Depp and Willem Dafoe in 1986 drama Platoon before taking on his breakout role in 1992 horror film Candyman.
The latest Final Destination film features a touching tribute to the star in the form of a title card, but there is also another poignant moment shown on-screen.
Franchise producer Craig Perry told Deadline that the star actually scripted his own goodbye which features in his character’s monologue. In it, he reminds viewers to live their life to the fullest while they still can.
“We all knew that he was obviously quite ill, and it was pretty clear that this was going to be the last role he would play in a movie,” Perry shared.
“Zach [Lipovsky] and Adam [Stein], our directors, they made a very shrewd decision to take the last couple of lines that were scripted and say, ‘Tony, just say what you would want to say to the fans. What would you like to impart to them in this moment?'”
He continued: “So, everything that makes that scene so emotional is authentic because that was just Tony talking through the camera to the very fans who supported him for so many years. So, it was a very magical moment on set. It was an impactful moment, and it’s one I’ll take with me until I go to the grave.”
Final Destination: Bloodlines is out now in cinemas
