‘Final Destination Bloodlines’ Is John Waters’ Favorite Horror Film of 2025: “A New Realm of Exploitation Art”

Cult icon John Waters published his annual list of the year’s best films via Vulture, and an unlikely horror sequel ranked near the top.

Final Destination Bloodlines is the Pope of Trash’s second favorite movie of 2025.

“The best sequel to the coolest cinematic franchise ever,” said Waters. “Ferocious, fractured, and filled with so many scary, twisted surprises — this picture goes beyond trash into a new realm of exploitation art.”

Arti Aster’s satirical pandemic western thriller Eddington topped the list, with Waters joking, “If you don’t like this film, I hate you.”

Dag Johan Haugerud’s Oslo trilogy, Oliver Laxe’s Sirāt, Mathias Broe’s Sauna, Dennis Cooper & Zac Farley’s Room Temperature, Alain Guiraudie’s Misericordia, François Ozon’s When Fall Is Coming, Mariska Hargitay’s My Mom Jayne, and Bruno Dumont’s The Empire round out Waters’ favorites of the year.

In Final Destination: Bloodlines, plagued by a violent recurring nightmare, a college student heads home to track down the one person who might be able to break the cycle and save her family from the grisly demise that inevitably awaits them all.

Zach Lipovsky & Adam Stein (Freaks) direct from a script by Guy Busick (Scream 2022, Scream VI) and Lori Evans Taylor.

Kaitlyn Santa Juana, Teo Briones, Richard Harmon, Owen Patrick Joyner, Anna Lore, Brec Bassinger, and the late Tony Todd star.

The sixth installment in the horror franchise became the series’ highest grossing entry with over $315 million at the worldwide box office. A sequel is in development with Michiel Blanchart (Night Call) in talks to direct from a script by Taylor.