Sarah Michelle Gellar & Samara Weaving’s New R-Rated Horror Movie Debuts To Stellar Rotten Tomatoes Score

Following the end of Ready or Not, Weaving returns as the surviving protagonist, Grace, who is once again caught up in a deadly game of hide-and-seek against wealthy elites, with the power to control the world as the ultimate prize. This time, she is not alone, as her estranged sister Faith (Kathryn Newton) gets entangled in the next level.

Although the horror comedy doesn’t release for another week, the first reviews are in after its premiere at SXSW. Based on 13 reviews, critics agree that the Ready or Not sequel is double the fun, with immense praise towards Weaving and Newton’s sibling dynamic. Although the follow-up lacks the novelty, it doesn’t detract from the fact that the movie is still funny, action-packed, and bloody. As a result, Ready or Not 2: Here I Come debuts with a strong 92% score on Rotten Tomatoes.

The score will fluctuate as more reviews drop over the coming days. Nevertheless, the current rating is a step up from the 2019 original, Ready or Not, which earned a solid 89% score and 79% audience score. In addition, it would be the highest-rated movie for Radio Silence, a team that has built a reputation in the horror genre with critically acclaimed films like Abigail and two Scream movies. The score also becomes one of Weaving’s best-rated movies.

Ready or Not 2 mostly introduces a fresh cast, including Sarah Michelle Gellar, Shawn Hatosy, David Cronenberg, and Elijah Wood. The new horror sequel is Gellar’s first major movie role in nearly 14 years. Since 2022, however, the Buffy the Vampire Slayer icon has mostly appeared in cameos for I Know What You Did Last Summer, Do Revenge, and Clerks III.

Currently, Ready or Not 2 would easily become Gellar’s most critically acclaimed movie in her entire career. Up to this point, her only other designated “fresh” film was Scream 2, which earned an 83% score. Otherwise, most of her movies were below the 60% mark, including Cruel Intentions (55%), all the I Know What You Did Last Summer movies, and The Grudge (41%). Gellar will soon be making a comeback as Buffy Summers in the upcoming continuation, Buffy the Vampire Slayer: New Sunnydale.

With the new 2026 movie bringing Gellar back to her roots in the horror genre, she is not the only scream queen in this union. Weaving and Newton have also made a name for themselves in the genre and have become modern scream queens.

Radio Silence is once again collaborating with the two on-screen siblings after working together on past horrors. Alongside the Ready or Not movies, Weaving had a small appearance in Scream 6. Newton had a major role in Abigail, which was directed by the duo Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett.

The strong critical reception of Ready or Not 2 will be important as the release nears. The 2019 original became a box office hit, earning $57 million against a small $6 million budget. Current projections indicate that the sequel will debut with $11 million, and word of mouth will boost its chances. While this is an improvement, it will release alongside Project Hail Mary, which is expected to win the weekend with a massive $45 million to $70 million opening.

Like Ready or Not 2, Project Hail Mary also received near-universal acclaim, with a Rotten Tomatoes score at 94%. However, the upcoming horror sequel shouldn’t experience many challenges because the reviews are strong, and the films cater to different target audiences. Nevertheless, with both garnering great reception days before their release, the weekend of March 20 may prove to be a great double feature for moviegoers.

Ready or Not 2: Here I Come will release in theaters on March 20, 2026.