In a chilling twist that could have come straight from the film itself, a screening of Final Destination: Bloodlines turned terrifyingly real for Argentine moviegoers when the ceiling of their theater partially collapsed mid-show.
The incident occurred on May 19 during a 9 p.m. showing of the latest installment in the horror franchise at Cinema Ocho in La Plata, the capital of Buenos Aires province. Roughly 40 people were in Theater No. 4 when debris unexpectedly rained down from above, interrupting the film and sending shockwaves through the audience.
The moment was so surreal that some initially mistook it for part of the movie.
“A really loud noise was heard,” said 29-year-old Fiamma Villaverde, who had decided to see the movie on a whim with her 11-year-old daughter and a friend. “At first, we thought it was a part of the movie because we were so engrossed; but immediately after, a piece of rubble fell on me.”
Villaverde suffered bruises to her shoulder, back, knee, and ankle. “It didn’t hit my head because I was slightly leaning over the armrests,” she added.
Video footage from the scene shows a gaping hole in the ceiling with chunks of debris scattered across the theater floor. Voices of shocked patrons can be heard in the background, reacting to the unexpected chaos.
The theater has not released a public statement regarding the incident. However, local speculation points to recent heavy rains as a possible factor in the structural failure. Villaverde has already contacted legal counsel and plans to file a formal complaint. She says the injuries forced her to miss several days of work and undergo X-rays, which confirmed blunt-force trauma.
The irony of the situation hasn’t been lost on the public. Final Destination: Bloodlines, directed by Zach Lipovsky and Adam B. Stein, is known for its signature premise of characters meeting untimely and bizarre deaths in freak accidents. The franchise, which debuted 25 years ago, has cultivated a devoted following with its chilling portrayals of fate gone wrong.
The film, released May 16, is already off to a franchise-best start at the box office, with a $102 million global debut equally split between domestic and international audiences.
