Ready or Not 2: Here I Come (USA, 2026)

The 2019 film Ready or Not was a delightfully wicked surprise, a fun horror-comedy that managed to successfully blend a Monty Python-esque approach to slapstick violence with a generous helping of blood and gore. While the premise of a "most dangerous game" played within a wealthy, eccentric family wasn't entirely original, the execution felt like a breath of fresh air. Now, some seven years later, the filmmaking duo of Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett has done the unnecessary: they have exhumed the corpse of that story to produce a sequel, Ready or Not 2: Here I Come. The fundamental problem is that the original was a lightning-in-a-bottle concept, and this isn't material that naturally lends itself to a second installment. 

In order to expand the canvas while still attempting to retain the essence of the original, a clunky, retconned backstory was grafted onto the lore. The whole thing feels forced and unwieldy—precisely what one expects from a redundant follow-up that prioritizes brand recognition over narrative necessity. Why it was made in the first place remains something of a head-scratcher. The original film was far from a box office behemoth, earning less than $30M domestically and roughly $60M worldwide. While those are respectable numbers for a mid-budget horror entry, they aren't the kind of figures that typically cause studio executives to salivate over the prospect of a sprawling franchise. Yet, here we are, watching a story struggle to justify its own existence and a desperate attempt to build a larger cinematic universe where none was required. 

Although seven years have passed in the real world since Grace (Samara Weaving) survived her bloody wedding night game of Hide and Seek, only minutes have passed in the fictional world of the sequel. The film opens with a disoriented Grace finding herself arrested for multiple murders, a logical if grim consequence of the first film's carnage. As she is grilled by the police while recovering in a high-security hospital ward, the film attempts to ground itself in a procedural reality that quickly evaporates. This is where we meet her estranged younger sister, Faith (Kathryn Newton), who arrives to provide emotional support but ends up serving as a vessel for massive amounts of exposition. It soon becomes clear that Grace's "Dance with the Devil" demands an encore. By defeating the Le Domas clan, Grace hasn't earned her freedom; she has merely signaled her status as the designated prey a much larger hunt. 

The scope of the mythology is widened to include a network of other Satan-worshipping families, all bound by the same ancient contracts to the shadowy Mr. Le Bail. This time, the play is refereed by the introduction of a mysterious, deadpan legal advisor played by Elijah Wood, who oversees what he calls the "Hunt of Hunts." Grace’s unfortunate sister is quickly wrapped up in the proceedings, and before the first act is over, the hospital setting is abandoned in favor of an aristocratic mansion. The narrative shifts into a repetitive cycle where Grace and Faith are pursued by representatives of four different families, each seeking the glory that comes from claiming her life. 

Chief among these new hunters are the Danforth siblings, Ursula (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and Titus (Shawn Hatosy). In an effort to prove their worth to the demonic powers that be, they have already murdered their own father, Chester (David Cronenberg), just to secure their spot at the top of the power pyramid. The basic framework is identical to that of the first film: the prey must stay alive until dawn to emerge victorious. This involves the usual checklist of horror-sequel tropes: killing off secondary hunters in increasingly elaborate ways, undergoing extreme physical pain that would kill a normal human being, and ensuring every character is thoroughly covered in corn syrup and red dye. What was satisfyingly subversive in the first film, however, feels like a case of diminishing returns here. 

The most irritating aspect of Ready or Not 2: Here I Come is the incessant bickering between Grace and Faith. Their backstory, which includes vague hints of past betrayal and abandonment, is intended to create a layer of tension and emotional depth. Unfortunately, the dialogue is written with the intelligence and subtlety of someone raised exclusively on bad YA novels. It’s tedious, badly placed, and narratively exhausting. It is difficult to buy into the idea that two sisters would choose to hash out their long-standing grievances while being stalked through the woods by dozens of armed cult members. The intention is clearly to give Grace a redemptive arc, but the emotional payoff is meager at best. 

Samara Weaving returns seamlessly to the role of Grace, capturing the weariness of a woman suffering from profound PTSD who is still capable of doing what's necessary with whatever weapon is at hand. Kathryn Newton, who is starting to make a respectable career out of being spattered with cinematic blood, brings a sassy energy to Faith. Elijah Wood’s deadpan delivery provides a few much-needed moments of dark comedy, and Shawn Hatosy’s psychotic behavior as Titus is suitably unnerving. 

A couple of the fights—especially a skirmish involving pepper spray—are enjoyable and recall the frantic energy of the first movie. Furthermore, the ending twist has the benefit of being unpredictable, even if it doesn't necessarily hold up to a moment of logical scrutiny. Of course, there are far worse horror sequels clogging up the streaming services, and Ready or Not 2: Here I Come at least occasionally delivers on the promised gore and dark humor. Still, for those who just want to see Samara Weaving go scorched-earth on some devil-worshippers one more time, there are enough viscera and sharp objects to provide a passing entertainment. It’s just hard to argue that this doesn’t belong firmly in the category of pointless follow-ups that no one was truly asking for.

Ready or Not 2: Here I Come (USA, 2026)