Ready or Not 2: Here I Come Review (Film, 2026)

content warning: blood, gore, medical/surgical footage, violence against women, violence against children, foul language, smoking, alcohol use, drug use

There was a time where a horror film sequel gave you exactly what you knew would happen. If a film said "2" or higher, you were getting the same premise with new characters and more creative scares. It was a simpler time; some would argue better.

Ready or Not 2: Here I Come is a modern example of this style. The film picks up where the last one left off. Grace, walking out of the flaming remains of her inlaws' mansion destroyed by the results of their pact with Mr. Le Bail, sits down, lights a cigarette, and is greeted by paramedics. Then she passes out. After being revived on the ambulance ride, she wakes up handcuffed to her bed and accused of murdering her entire family by the local police. Her estranged sister Faith arrives as her emergency contact, plunging Grace and Faith into round two of the deadly Hide and Seek game Grace narrowly survived in the last film. It turns out losing two of the six most powerful families in pact with Satan in less than a day has consequences and now the highest seat of power to control the world will be determined by another game of Hide and Seek.

Instead of a mansion, we're in the country club of the MacCauley family. Otherwise, this is Ready or Not again, with more hunters, more weapons, and twice as many targets. It's good. It's what we want: same humor, same gore, same killer performances from the whole cast.

There is a bit of additional lore building that gives this by-the-numbers sequel a bit more bite than usual. Elijah Wood plays The Lawyer, the keeper of all the contracts with Mr. Le Bail. He knows all the rules and procedures and oversees the new game. He has secrets and does not divulge information unless he is required to. Chaos ensues. It's a very Elijah Wood as a heartless witness kind of role that he thrives in with genre projects and it works. He's the rules lawyer in a deadly game of Hide and Seek. It's kooky. It's fun.

Samara Weaving returns as Grace, and Kathryn Newton joins on as sister Faith. They're great together. Newton is part of this new wave of scream queens getting to play in the post-modern horror world that allows women to have depth to their characters beyond run and cry. Weaving also fits the mold, though her career has allowed for more genre variance to pin her down so easily. They have a great love/hate sister dynamic that feels real. The screenplay and direction from Sketching Details' favorites Radio Silence really showcase Weaving and Newton's genre strength, with Weaving getting the big action pieces and Newton getting the one-liners and comedic bits. It works. They're great together.

Honesty, the worst part of Ready or Not 2: Here I Come is that title. The opening credits show the original intention, dropping the unnecessary number. However, the "2" was added at some point and it's just awkward. Otherwise, fans of the original and silly cat and mouse style horror films have tons to laugh and cheer for.

Ready or Not 2: Here I Come is currently playing in theaters.