Ready Or Not 2: Here I Come Hates Evil Rich People So, So Much

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Everyone was wondering if the sequel to the 2019 horror-comedy hit, Ready Or Not, could be as successful as the original when Ready Or Not: Here I Come premiered at SXSW. The first film became a surprise summer hit, earning $57.6 million worldwide on a small $6 million budget. The story followed a bride who discovers her wealthy new in-laws hunt her on her wedding night, and it ended with a seemingly definitive conclusion – the bride survives and her in-laws are destroyed. So, the big question was: how could directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett continue the story?

The follow-up to the original takes things even further. Grace, brilliantly played by Samara Weaving, finds herself in an even more dangerous and disturbing game. Expect more violence, creative and horrifying deaths, occult themes, and a cast of wealthy, sinister characters. It’s similar to The Hunger Games, but imagine if Katniss Everdeen were two vulnerable young women with difficult pasts, and their pursuers were based on the names in the Epstein Files. While some critics haven’t been impressed, the enthusiastic reaction from the audience at SXSW suggests this sequel will be a box office success when it’s released on March 20th.

The story begins much like the last one ended: Grace is injured and sitting amidst the ruins of a burning mansion in Connecticut, attempting to light a cigarette. At the hospital, we meet her sister, Faith, who Grace accidentally listed as her emergency contact. Their sharp banter reveals a complicated relationship – they’re clearly hurt by each other, but still care deeply. Meanwhile, a secret society of powerful families has learned that the Le Domas family’s ritual failed. This sets off a dangerous competition among them to complete the ritual and claim control of the world.

One of the biggest moments at SXSW was seeing horror icon David Cronenberg on screen. He plays the ailing head of the powerful Danforth family in Newport, Rhode Island, and the leader of a secretive, wealthy cult controlled by the mysterious “Mr. Le Bail” (a ghostly figure who appears in a chair after Grace defeats the Le Domas family). When his character curtly orders, “Approve the ceasefire,” news tickers on three screens immediately announce “BREAKING NEWS: CEASEFIRE APPROVED,” which drew a noticeable laugh from the audience.

The story then jumps to locations around the globe – Shanghai, Madrid, and Atlantic City – where the world’s most powerful families discover they have a chance to compete for ultimate control, something they haven’t done since 1963. But for Grace and now Faith, this means the deadly game starts all over again. They wake up tied and silenced at the Danforths’ lavish home, realizing their lives have been reset. The heads of each family are participating, and the one who finds and kills the runaway bride will win the right to rule the world. To make things even harder, Faith has been handcuffed to Grace! Will they be able to put aside their family conflicts and work together to survive?

I’m really excited about all the new players joining the game – you’ll definitely recognize a lot of them! The stakes are unbelievably high; if the head of a family loses, the next in line has to take their place and fight, or their whole family faces… well, let’s just say a very fiery fate at the hands of the devil. It’s the same if anyone in the family breaks the rules. I’m particularly intrigued by Nestor Carbonell, who you might remember from Lost; he’s leading the Spanish family, but apparently, he’s not very good with a gun! Then you have the real power players – Sarah Michelle Gellar and Shawn Hatosy (from The Pitt) really nail the arrogant attitude of the Danforth twins. Their family used to be in charge, but some bizarre rule in their ancient rulebook – all because of this one bride! – means they have to fight to regain their position.

As a movie fan, I found what Sarah Michelle Gellar said at SXSW really interesting. She explained that we spent a lot of time figuring out who these characters were and how different their bond was from the sisterly connection between Grace and Faith. She put it beautifully – the closer they get, the more things start to fall apart for everyone else. It’s a really compelling dynamic, and I’m excited to see how it plays out on screen.

Elijah Wood plays the Danforths’ lawyer with a playful, slightly amused air. He’s the one handling the legal details and conveniently staying behind a podium when things get dangerous for the contestants. Wood described his character as mysterious, and the cast and crew often discussed his backstory, wondering how long he’d been involved and if it had been for centuries. They even came up with a quirky idea – not shown in the film – that the lawyer has a strange sex life.

During the question-and-answer session, the filmmakers and actors revealed that they relied heavily on practical effects and the cast performed almost all of their own stunts. This meant many actors were hit with a special effects device that simulated blood and gore, and the directors intentionally avoided extensive rehearsals. They wanted to capture the genuine surprise and reaction on each actor’s face when they were first covered in the messy effects.

The cast all acknowledged that their primary job in the film was to help showcase Hugo Weaving’s performance, but they were also drawn to the film’s underlying themes. As Hotosey explained, they discussed how many powerful people, despite their flaws, have families, saying, “I can think of a few of them.”

The film’s central idea is best captured when a contestant attempts a clever solution – using a drone to offer the sisters a deal that could save everyone, but requires Grace to make a deeply unpleasant choice. The contestant explains, “There aren’t heroes or villains, just the system itself.” It’s no surprise, then, that the drone is destroyed, the contestant meets a violent end, and the whole flawed system quickly collapses.

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2026-03-14 21:55