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You would think that there are few things as scary as taking over the Scream franchise after creator Wes Craven's passing. However, directors Tyler Gillett and Matt Bettinelli-Olpin say that returning to the Ready or Not franchise was way more nerve-wracking than making Scream 5 or 6.
"We love the first movie. It's so special to us," said Bettinelli-Olpin in the newest issue of SFX Magazine. Gillett added that it's "wildly, wildly personal and the opportunity to make a sequel came with a lot of excitement and pressure that we maybe didn't feel in the same way with Scream. Six movies in, that franchise very clearly is what it is."
The directing duo made a name for themselves with the 2022 horror comedy Ready or Not, starring Samara Weaving as an unlucky bride left to fight for survival against her new nightmare in-laws.
The movie was a hit, which added pressure in knowing where to take the sequel, as, unlike Scream, there are no hard and fast rules. Gillet explained, "It was like, how do we really challenge the material and make something that gives you all of the flavour and fun of the first movie, but feels very different, and very much its own thing?"
Ready or Not ended with final girl Grace surviving the ordeal and breaking the curse, which led to the Le Domas family blowing up. Interestingly, Ready or Not 2 will pick up right after this as Grace discovers she's reached the next level of the game, where she must battle our rival families in order to take the High Seat of the Council that controls the world. But this time, she has her sister Faith (Kathryn Newton) in tow.
When asked about the decision to set the sequel right after Ready or Not, Bettinelli-Olpin said, "For us, we just loved the idea of, okay, what if the character didn’t get the rest that she has earned and deserves? What if we threw her back to the wolves immediately? Knowing Samara as well – and knowing what she could do with that as a very basic setup – was just a really exciting opportunity and challenge for us."
Ready or Not 2: Here I Come hits theatres on March 20. For more, check out our list of the best slasher movies, and keep up with upcoming horror movies heading your way.
