'Ready or Not 2: Here I Come' Review: All Hell Breaks Loose in This Unhinged, Bloody Sequel

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Grace is screaming as she and Faith are bound to chairs.

Published Mar 14, 2026, 1:14 PM EDT

Ross Bonaime is the Senior Film Editor at Collider. He is a Virginia-based critic, writer, and editor who has written about all forms of entertainment for Paste Magazine, Brightest Young Things, Flickchart, The Free Lance-Star, and more. Ross graduated from George Mason University with a focus in communications and journalism and a minor in film and video studies.

Ross is a Tomatometer-approved critic, a member of the Washington DC Area Film Critics Association, and a member of the Critics Choice Association. He has loved movies ever since he saw Cinderella in the theater as a kid, he can quote 10 Things I Hate About You and Wet Hot American Summer from memory, and is fascinated by all things Georges Méliès and Charlie Chaplin.

Let’s be honest: Ready or Not wasn’t a film that needed a sequel. By the conclusion of the 2019 film, Grace MacCaulley (Samara Weaving), still wearing her wedding dress, ends the movie covered in the blood of her new family, having wiped them all out in the most violent, unhinged version of hide-and-seek that you’ve ever seen. Having a smoke on the steps of the family mansion as it burst into flames was the perfect ending, and at the SXSW premiere of Ready or Not 2: Here I Come, directors Tyler Gillett and Matt Bettinelli-Olpin even said they expected their original film to be a one-and-done. That is, until the fans demanded that this not be the conclusion of Grace’s story.

This Time, Samara Weaving and Kathryn Newton Have to Run and Hide Together

Here I Come begins the moment Ready or Not ends, as we soon see Grace taken to the hospital by paramedics. Once there, she is naturally considered by police as a suspect in the killing of the Le Domas family, considering she’s covered head-to-toe in blood that isn’t hers. However, it doesn’t take long before Grace’s estranged sister Faith (Kathryn Newton) shows up at the hospital, and the pair learn that Grace isn’t safe just yet. The pair is soon knocked out and brought into yet another violent game that they are forced to play.

Since Grace was the unexpected winner on her wedding night game, the most powerful families in the world have to now compete to kill her in another game, or they will lose their fortunes and power. However, the winner of the game gets to claim the High Seat of the Council, which controls the entire world. Grace has to find a way to once again survive the night, while now also protecting her sister, as these families compete for control over everything.

Ready or Not 2: Here I Come has a blast expanding its world with yet another game, full of rules, directions, and power. Who had any idea that Satanism had so many rules? While it never detracts from the story at hand, Here I Come does at first feel like it’s almost overly complex. This game has all sorts of new rules, which are handled by “The Lawyer” (Elijah Wood), and each family not only has a competitor, but an alternate in waiting. Again, it’s not too convoluted, but it definitely is a bit more complex than it probably needed to be, considering the original film’s concept was “hide and seek, but with death.”

‘Ready or Not 2: Here I Come’ Expands the Possibilities of This World

But that being said, Gillett and Bettinelli-Olpin, as well as writers Guy Busick and R. Christopher Murphy, have found a clever way to expand the possibilities of this universe and what is possible here. I mean, once you’ve got Satan-worshipping wealthy people in the mix, the possibilities are endless. Yes, there are more rules to play by, but that also leads to more ways to scheme the system and leave space for plenty of surprises.

Gillett and Bettinelli-Olpin also have the benefit of getting to start at a much higher level of insanity this time around, after the literally explosive conclusion to Ready or Not. The bar is at a completely different level, and they relish exploring those possibilities. Expect plenty of exploding rich people, surprising deaths, and lots of twists. Ready or Not ended with a bang, but Here I Come continues that bang in a propulsive and ludicrous way.

Samara Weaving Remains One of Our Best Scream Queens

Grace hides with a gun, covered in blood.

But what makes these movies so great is Samara Weaving at the center of them, and she also ups the ante as Grace this time around. Weaving plays the reality of this nightmarish, unbelievable situation extremely well, and there are many times when it feels like she can’t even handle the shock of what is happening to her. Every injury, every twist, and kill, Weaving ensures that we feel the weight of this situation. Yes, this is one big game, but it’s Weaving's performance that adds a level of realism and power to this wild story.

Kathryn Newton is also a great addition to this universe, and thankfully gives Grace some support in a world that’s out to get her (literally). But this choice also adds depth to Grace and her history, as we finally get to understand where she comes from and what led her down a path that brought her here. Newton’s Faith is also full of mystery, but her choice to constantly act first and ask questions later is a great dynamic to have next to the more reserved Grace. If this series does continue to a third installment, both Weaving and Newton are perfect choices to keep it moving forward.

Shawn Hatosy Calls Sarah Michelle Gellar's Ursula His Twin, Wife, and Mom in 'Ready or Not 2' [Exclusive]

Collider visited the set of 'Ready or Not 2: Here I Come' and learned about the new family Samara Weaving's Grace is up against, the Danforths.

Here I Come also boasts a fantastic line-up of supporting characters, all of which seem like they’re having too much fun in this world. Most notable are Sarah Michelle Gellar and Shawn Hatosy as Ursula and Titus Danforth, a brother and sister who are fighting to take over after the passing of their father, Chester (David Cronenberg). Ursula and Titus are peak privilege, and it’s a delight to watch these two icons coldly trying to claim what they believe to be rightfully theirs. The film is packed with potential killers that get their moment in the spotlight, such as Néstor Carbonell as Ignacio El Caido, and Kevin Durand as the deranged, coked-up Bill Wilkinson. And if this world does continue further, Wood’s Lawyer is such a mysterious little weirdo that just makes you want to know more about him, his history, and how he got into this world of the wealthy and Satan. Even though this cast is packed and might have a few too many characters, each one gets their time to be central to the story, so it mostly works.

Ready or Not 2: Here I Come throws us back into this universe now that we know the scale and possibilities of it, and goes absolutely wild with what can happen. Weaving, Newton, and this entire cast that's trying to kill each other is a joy to watch on their murderous rampages, and it's clear everyone is loving this violent spree. Ready or Not seemed to close the book on Grace's story, but Here I Come effectively shows that there are still potentially chapters to explore in this tale. Did we need a sequel to Ready or Not? Probably not. But hell yeah, it's great that we have one.

Ready or Not 2: Here I Come comes to theaters on March 20.

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Release Date March 20, 2026

Runtime 108 Minutes

Director Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett

Writers Guy Busick, R. Christopher Murphy

Producers James Vanderbilt, William Sherak, Bradley J. Fischer, Tripp Vinson

Pros & Cons

Samara Weaving and Kathryn Newton are a great team-up in this sequel.
The entire cast is having a blast on their murderous rampages.
This sequel expands the possibilities of this world in really clever ways.

Ready or Not 2: Here I Come might have just a few too many characters.
The rules of this new game can become a bit convoluted, especially compared to the last ga.e

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