Samara Weaving in ‘Ready or Not’. Photo: Fox Searchlight Pictures.
Preview:
- Samara Weaving will return for a sequel to 2019’s ‘Ready or Not.’
- Directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett are also back.
- The script will be by the original’s Guy Busick and R. Christopher Murphy.
Since their first collaboration with ‘Ready or Not,’ directors Tyler Gillett and Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and their star, Samara Weaving, have all seen their careers skyrocket.
The filmmakers in particular have been busy, making the leap from the 2019 effort to the two most recent ‘Scream’ installments and this year’s vampire thriller ‘Abigail.’
Now, though, at a screening of ‘Ready or Not’, the directors announced that a sequel is in the works, with Weaving once again starring.
What was the story of ‘Ready or Not’?
(L to R) Mark O’Brien and Samara Weaving in ‘Ready or Not’. Photo: Fox Searchlight Pictures.
The horror comedy thriller followed a young bride (Weaving) as she joined her new husband’s (Mark O’Brien) rich, eccentric family (Adam Brody, Henry Czerny, Andie MacDowell) in a time-honored tradition: Pulling a card from a puzzle game.
It seems innocent enough, but if someone draws the Hide and Seek card, as she does, then a murderous game is played, all in order to appease an ancient family deal with the devil. And so begins a fight for survival…
Spoiler alert at this point for anyone who has yet to see the movie: Weaving’s Grace makes it out, while mostly everyone else either ends up dead from a weapon or exploding in a geyser of blood when the curse inherent in the deal is carried out.
The movie, made for only $6 million, grossed over $28 million domestically and was the widest release for Searchlight at the time.
What has been happening with a ‘Ready or Not’ sequel?
Samara Weaving in ‘Ready or Not’. Photo: Fox Searchlight Pictures.
All involved have said they want to come back for more, but it’s been a question of timing: the directors have been off doing their other movies, while Weaving has been in demand for the likes of ‘Chevalier,’ ‘Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins,’ ‘Bill & Ted Face the Music’ and ‘Babylon‘.
She also found time to squeeze in a cameo as –– again, spoiler alert –– the initial victim in last year’s ‘Scream VI.’
Weaving had previously told Comicbook.com that she was committed to returning:
“I’m all in. I think we’re all in, I don’t know. I think we’re all in…I don’t know if we’ve had our blood handshake, but pretty much. We’ve done the spit handshake, but we haven’t cut each other’s hands and rubbed our blood together.”
Looks like that has now happened –– or, you know, they’ve just made deals in the regular way.
As to what will happen in the movie itself, that’s anyone’s guess at this point. Given Weaving’s return, a prequel about the family appears unlikely, more her Grace getting into another tricky and potentially bloody situation.
Whatever it turns out to be, the script will come from original writers Guy Busick and R. Christopher Murphy.
Related Article: Movie Review: ‘Abigail’
When will ‘Ready or Not 2’ be in theaters?
Searchlight has yet to confirm when the movie will be shooting, let alone when it’ll be released.
Director Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, left, and Director Tyler Gillett on the set of Paramount Pictures and Spyglass Media Group’s ‘Scream VI.’