CJG THE HATCHET MAN: A GOODBYE TO OUR ‘BLUDWORTH’ aka TONY TODD.

FINAL DESTINATION: BLOODLINES 2025 — Part Two Tribute.

Courtesy of New Line Cinema.

Welcome back to CJG THE HATCHET MAN — your ultimate dissector of all things eerie, spooky, and occasionally bloody!

SPOILER WARNING: Since this is another tribute piece, there’ll be some plot revelations from FINAL DESTINATION: BLOODLINES. So, if you haven’t seen the film, bookmark this and watch Tony Todd’s final performance as William Bludworth, then, come back.

We lost many big stars and names in 2025 — as of course, we expected to (no, I’m not being a dick, just making a simple life observation). Rob Reiner still remains the biggest shock of the year — but having had one of the biggest horror icons leave us so soon, was still a throat-choker for me.

Many horror performances transcend their films, and some actors become so synonymous with their iconic roles that the character/performer blur into a single, unforgettable presence. For Tony Todd, his final performance in FINAL DESTINATION: BLOODLINES, became a bittersweet farewell that honors both the character he created and the remarkable life he lived.

This isn’t so much a scene dissection as a tribute — a moment to celebrate Tony Todd, the man who gave voice to our nightmares and dignity to our monsters. Our Candyman and our Bludworth and also many others.

Courtesy of Universal/Comcast/Propaganda Films.

Modern Day Vincent Price/Horror Icon

Born Anthony Tiran Todd in Washington D.C. on December 4, 1954, and with a long impressive list of TV and film credits (of about 200), he came to prominence in 1990 with Tom Savini’s 1990 remake of George A. Romero’s seminal classic, NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, itself now a cult classic — though it doesn’t hold a candle to the B/W classic playing the Duane Jones character and fighting kickass with the more “gori-fied” zombies about to tear the cast some new holes; yes, it is Savini after all. I saw it in theaters and barely remembered it, but two years later, Todd would make his mark in a more Vincent Price style role as Daniel Robitaille aka Candyman in 1992 in a subdued adaptation of Clive Barker’s short story, “The Forbidden”.

Despite CANDYMAN not being embraced by me at the time, I still mentally clocked Todd as a star-on-the-rise. His 6' 5" frame was imposing, his presence was undeniable, and his on-screen command was electrifying. His brief appearance in Oliver Stone’s Oscar-winning film, PLATOON was his early screen credit as well as his stage work with the late playwright August Wilson and appearances on STAR TREK and 24. His performance as Candyman was charismatic and full of gravitas given the nature of the film’s themes — and now, Bernard Rose’s film is a horror masterpiece I revere and also study. I haven’t seen the 2021 remake/reboot, but it's on the future late-to-the-party list.

A Star Was Already Born!

Courtesy of Buena Vista/Hollywood Pictures

While Todd will certainly be remembered for CANDYMAN and the FINAL DESTINATION movies, he wasn’t simply just a horror movie star. I noticed him again in Michael Bay’s bombastic action thriller, THE ROCK, from 1996. Yes, he classed up a Michael Bay movie, thank God!

Todd played Captain Darrow, a mercenary working for Ed Harris’s rogue Force Recon Marines. It’s a brief role, but Todd brings the same commitment and intensity he brought to horror, showing he could be genuinely threatening without playing a typical movie monster — just a dangerous man who vows to get paid for what he signed on for. He was also responsible for the movie’s funniest interaction with Nicolas Cage about the Elton John song, “Rocket Man”. His line delivery was super and coy through his gravelly bass voice: “I don’t like soft a* sht!” It gave me a wide smile, and I knew this man was going places from that point on.

The Final Legacy Scene with Spoilers

Courtesy of New Line Cinema/Discovery

So, hopefully you’ve seen FINAL DESTINATION: BLOODLINES so I can describe to you the big scene that bids William Bludworth/Tony Todd adieu. Here we go.

When the Campbell family searches long and hard for answers as to why their bloodline is chosen by Death’s insidious design, they uncover their grandmother’s connection to none other than William Bludworth. He’s the boy survivor mentioned in the 1969 Sky Needle collapse — the one miracle rescue, the unnamed boy pulled from the wreckage and an alliance forged with the grandmother.

It’s here we understand finally the character’s arc and why he’s often jokey, cagey and even sus at times — but it’s clear now that he is the embodiment of survivor’s guilt. A man who got up close and personal with Death and lived to tell about it and in the cruelest of ironies, it would also catch up with the franchise’s main star also. A lifetime of survivor’s guilt wrapped in a single, steady scene.

A Life Unscripted

The filmmakers took a wise step in allowing Todd to unscript his final lines and scene and gave us a powerful moment captured forever. His was a message of love and life and going forward. He may have been the Candyman or Bludworth, but what we saw was a human being in the final course of his life with the last of his heart beating in whatever his veins and arteries could. The message was simple. Savor every moment of life for it is in his or was in his own words: “precious”.

My Personal Message to Tony

As an avid horror fan and cinephile, I will miss Tony’s presence, his strong commanding bass voice and also, his sneaky, often humorous wink at the audience as if to let us know that it was all pretend and that we should just savor the darkness a little — but never forget the light right after.

Rest in Power Mr. Todd. You were an icon and legend. Goodbye 2025.

Anthony Tiran Todd (December 4, 1954 — November 6, 2024)

Courtesy of Wikipedia.

Next Scene: When a Pet Dog Attacks from “WHEN EVIL LURKS, 2023”! Happy New Year 2026!