One of the most anticipated films of the year, as well as for SXSW 2026, was Ready or Not 2: Here I Come. Audiences at SXSW got to experience the world premiere of the film, which has Matt Bettinelli-Oplin and Tyler Gillett of Radio Silence (Ready or Not, Abigail) returning to direct, as well as Guy Busick (Ready or Not, Final Destination: Bloodlines) and R. Christopher Murphy (Ready or Not, Castle Rock) returning to write the film. Grace has survived the wedding from Hell only to get thrown right back into a twisted Satanic game. This time, she must work with her estranged sister to fight to survive until dawn against the five most powerful families in the world.

Ready or Not 2: Here I Come kicks off right where the first film left off, with Grace covered in blood after she won the game of hide and seek against her Satan-worshipping new in-laws. She has almost no time to recover in the hospital before her sister, whom she hasn’t seen in seven years, arrives. The two are taken by those working for Mr. Le Bail, also known as the Devil, and forced to play another game of life and death. While Ready or Not 2: Here I Come could have been just another rehash of its predecessor, instead it brings in a ton of new, interesting characters and greatly expands on the lore around Mr. Le Bail’s empire. Just like with the rules around drawing hide and seek at Grace’s wedding, there are rules for what has to happen if the bride (or groom) survives, leading to the death of one of six families that work for Mr. Le Bail and control the world. Among this counsel of families is a high seat and, thanks to Grace, that seat is up for grabs. Whoever kills Grace first, gets the seat and ultimate power. The stakes are higher than ever. While the dynamics between the two sisters could have been developed a bit more, the characters are still compelling. The new characters are also great additions. They come across as caricatures of wealthy stereotypes, but as the film progresses some of these characters reveal hidden layers making them more fascinating to watch.

This film has a phenomenal ensemble cast of familiar faces, as well as some new ones. The obvious star of Ready or Not 2: Here I Come is Samara Weaving (Ready or Not, Azrael) reprising her role as Grace. Weaving is a powerhouse, showing her character’s exhaustion and physical pain as well as her determination and resourcefulness. Not only is Weaving an action star and certified scream queen as Grace, she’s also absolutely hilarious. Kathryn Newton (Freaky, Abigail) joins the cast as Grace’s estranged younger sister, Faith. Faith is not only reacting to all this killing and mayhem for the first time, she’s also struggling to reconcile her anger towards her sister. Newton is funny and tough in this role, albeit more impulsive and less skilled than Weaving’s Grace. Shawn Hatosy (The Pitt, The Faculty) plays one of the people competing to kill Grace first, Titus. While all the characters up against the siblings are sinister Satanists, Hatosy makes it abundantly clear Titus is pure evil. It’s a chilling performance that makes him stand out as the ultimate villain of this story. Rounding out the cast are stellar performances from Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Elijah Wood (Come to Daddy), Olivia Cheng (Warrior), Anthony Hall (Stand Up Man), Varun Saranga (Wynonna Earp), Nadeem Umar-Khitab (Wedding Season), Masa Lizdek (Simulant), Nestor Carbonell (Bates Motel), Maia Jae (Seven Veils), Juan Pablo Romero (Dino Rex), Kevin Durand (Abigail), Dan Beirne (Priscilla), and even the legendary David Cronenberg (Nightbreed).

The visual elements of Ready or Not 2: Here I Come are somewhat mixed. There are plenty of fantastic practically created injuries, dead and dismembered bodies, and of course, a ton of blood. The copious amounts of gore are gruesome, but they certainly add to the off-beat comedy as well. The team did a great job of making Grace’s dress look the same as it did when the previous film ended, helping the continuity of the story. Plus, the costume design for the new characters is great, helping to convey who these people are even before they utter a single word. One of the things that doesn’t work as well in this film is the overall look. In the first film, audiences got a grand single location that was shot at night with a lot of warmth to the look of each scene. This time the location is far bigger, which is fine, and the setting allows for many fun action sequences, but having much of it filmed during the day and in more vivid colors takes away from the look that made Ready or Not so striking. There are also a few odd editing choices. Specifically, there is a sequence in which the editing cuts back and forth between two fight scenes – one that is extremely brutal and violent while the other is silly and hilarious. Going between these very different fights seems to trivialize the savagery of the more violent beating. For the most part Ready or Not 2: Here I Come is a bloody, hilarious, and well-executed, there are just certain aspects that don’t quite live up to the previous film.

Ready or Not 2: Here I Come is an outrageously fun, wild ride doubling down on the laughs, gore, and mythos. Radio Silence is a great team that always knows how to entertain audiences with their unique blend of horror and humor. They somehow manage to expand on the world they created with the first film, all while incorporating plenty of unexpected moments. It’s great to see Weaving back in action as Grace, and many of the new additions are a delight to watch on screen, especially Newton and Hatosy. Audiences will appreciate the bigger sets and bigger practical effects to keep almost every scene drenched in blood. While not ever aspect of this sequel works, it is undoubtedly one of the most fun viewing experiences of the year. If you missed the world premier of Ready or Not 2: Here I Come at SXSW, then you won’t want to miss it when it hits theaters Friday, March 20th.

OVERALL RATING: 7.5/10