Ready or Not 2: Here I Come Review—Sarah Michelle Gellar Hunts Samara Weaving in Scream Queen-Packed, Blood-Soaked Sequel 

Releasing seven years after the original, the violent next instalment finds Grace (Weaving), joined by Kathryn Newton, playing another deadly game

by Alex Kaan 14 March 2026

© Searchlight Pictures

Picking up seconds after the original’s ending, the long-anticipated Ready or Not sequel doesn’t give its Final Girl much time to rest. In this follow-up from directing duo Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, otherwise known as Radio Silence (Scream VI, Abigail), it turns out that when Grace (Samara Weaving) defeated the Le Domas family, she triggered a clause for a round 2 of their twisted game of hide-and-seek. Now, four rival families must compete to hunt Grace and her sister (Kathryn Newton) down for the fabled high seat of a demonic council which controls the world.

With inventive world-building, brutal practical effects, and an unmissable David Cronenberg cameo, Ready or Not 2: Here I Come lives up to the ‘double or nothing’ premise and delivers a sardonically hilarious, wildly gory rollercoaster of a sequel. After a stylish, largely one-take credits sequence brings Grace to the hospital, she is very understandably the number-one suspect for the murder of the Le Domas family and the burning of their home. When her estranged sister, Faith, appears at the hospital because she forgot to update her emergency contact, Grace dryly tells her—to raucous laughter from the crowd the SXSW premiere—that her marriage “didn’t work out”, before explaining that her husband’s family had made a deal with one Mr. Le Bail (AKA the Devil) and tried to off her in a ritualistic contest which she ultimately won. 

© Searchlight Pictures

But the cops are the least of Grace’s problems when she and Faith are taken to a luxurious hotel and casino and forced to compete in another ritual. Moving at a fast pace with restless energy, the film has a whopping amount of mythology to explain to its viewers and justify the second game: and the way it goes about the bulky exposition is a winning combination of clever and entertaining. Just as his Lord of the Rings co-star Ian McKellen could make the most complicated lore palatable, the new set of rules is delivered by a pitch-perfect Elijah Wood as a whimsically creepy satanic lawyer. He explains that the first in line for each devil-worshipping family (Néstor Carbonell, Olivia Cheng, Nadeem Umar-Khitab, and twins played by Sarah Michelle Gellar and Shawn Hatosy) must partake in the hunt, with the next in line watching on camera monitors in case an untimely death means they need to serve as a substitute.

© Searchlight Pictures

No matter the gleeful kill-the-rich conceit, what this sequel really hinges on is the sisterly bond between Samara Weaving and Kathryn Newton. Weaving reasserts herself as a superlative Final Girl, and as for Newton, the Lisa Frankenstein actress’ zany comedic energy is the perfect match for her co-star’s hard-boiled edge—her frantic screams and “What the fuck!” reactions to the explosive violence are an undisputed highlight. Meanwhile, crackling with cold-hearted flair, Sarah Michelle Gellar’s sharp performance as half of a deranged sibling duo is a welcome return to the big screen for a horror legend. When not stealing scenes, she even gets in a Buffy-style staking.

While Ready or Not 2 doesn’t quite recreate the fluid high-octane thrill ride of its predecessor—lagging a bit in its middle section—a delightful, gonzo finale sets the film back on track. What remains abundantly clear, between this outrageous film, Abigail, and their contributions to the Scream franchise, is that few filmmakers are having as much fun in the genre as Radio Silence.

Previous
Previous

'Buffy' Reboot with Sarah Michelle Gellar Cancelled at Hulu

Next
Next

Oscars 2026 Predictions: Will 'Sinners' Take It All?