The Original Final Destination Almost Starred Tobey Maguire & Kirsten Dunst

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During its ongoing theater release, Final Destination Bloodlines is demonstrating that the enduringly popular horror franchise with its persistent “you can’t cheat death” concept has a timeless allure.

For over two and a half decades, from the initial release in 2000, the “Final Destination” films have been delivering a mix of chilling and comical terror, without relying on a massive blockbuster budget. Although these movies may not require or benefit from the level of funding that high-profile franchises do, the first film in the series almost featured two actors as prominent as those in the Marvel universe.

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The first Final Destination almost paired Tobey Maguire with Kirsten Dunst… before Spider-Man

Fans of “Final Destination” will remember that the initial film in the series, released in March 2000 and directed by James Wong, featured Devon Sawa and Ali Larter (who would reprise their roles in “Final Destination 2”). In this movie, the characters played by Devon Sawa as Alex Browning and Ali Larter as Clear Rivers didn’t have a chance to fully develop a romantic relationship due to the tragic horror plotline. However, it seemed like the story was hinting at a budding romance before Death cruelly interrupted with an unexpected twist during their encounter in Paris.

Initially, Sawa and Larter weren’t the studio’s initial picks for leading roles in the first Final Destination film. It might seem surprising now, but the roles of Alex and Clear were originally given to Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst, who later became famous as Spider-Man (2002) stars. This offer came about two years before they made their mark in comic book movies as the early versions of Marvel’s Peter Parker and Mary Jane.

As a fan, I’ve often pondered why Maguire and Dunst declined the opportunity to play a duo of ominous death cheaters. While the exact reasons have never been publicly disclosed, it’s been speculated by several entertainment sources that their decision could be linked to their impending collaboration in a blockbuster superhero movie.

In 2021, as Film pointed out, the official announcement of Tobey Maguire’s role in Spider-Man didn’t occur until after Final Destination had been released in cinemas. However, given the scale of the Spider-Man franchise, it’s highly unlikely that the casting process started so late, especially considering it might have coincided with the filming schedule of Final Destination.

Despite having flexible schedules for filming, it’s hard to believe that Maguire and Dunst would have agreed to star in two movies from the early 2000s simultaneously. Their captivating on-screen romance as Spider-Man’s neighborhood heroes in the Sam Raimi-directed “Spider-Man,” which premiered in the spring of 2002 and left an indelible mark with its iconic upside-down kiss, might have lost some of its charm if Maguire and Dunst had previously portrayed romantic leads in another film. In other words, their shared history as a screen couple could have diminished the novelty of their “Spider-Man” partnership to some extent.

Nowadays, it’s hardly contested that Sawa and Larter have strongly identified with the Final Destination series since its inception. Much like Tony Todd (who appears posthumously in Bloodlines), they’ve become as crucial to the franchise’s rich history as Maguire and Dunst have for Spider-Man, a film series whose enduring popularity outlives any single actor, despite consistently acknowledging its past contributors, even as it introduces new ways to honor those who once wore Spidey’s web-shooting gear.

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2025-06-16 17:31