Top 5 Memorable Deaths In The Ready Or Not Horror Franchise

Ready or Not is one of the most unique modern horror franchises. Beginning in 2019, Ready or Not takes the basic premise of a hide-and-seek game and turns it into nothing short of a nightmare. What starts as a twisted game quickly becomes a blood-heavy comedic satire on wealth, nepotism, and cults dedicated to Satan himself.

In both the original film and its sequel, which released in theaters on Friday to excellent reception from fans and a 92% on Rotten Tomatoes, the kills in the Ready or Not franchise are filled with gore and blood, and are designed to shock audiences as much as possible.

People die in the most dramatic (and sometimes ridiculous) ways, and most deaths are designed with the specific character in mind, tying back to their role in the story. Almost every death in the Ready or Not films is memorable, but a few stand out amongst the rest.

Stevens’ Car Crash – Ready Or Not

The death of the Le Domas family’s most loyal servant, Stevens, stands out as one of the least flashy or eye-popping deaths, but that’s why it works so well. Stevens differed from the other villains, as he’s less cartoonishly evil and more calculated. His character feels real, even in a film that heightens almost every aspect of the story.

Stevens’ death comes when he captures Grace and begins to drive her back to the house. He turns on classical music as a form of celebration for capturing the bride, only for Grace to begin fighting back.

The struggle between the two is more raw and real than most deaths in the franchise, which makes it stand out. There isn’t a bucketload of blood, and instead what makes this scene effective is its simplicity. It’s frantic, messy, and ultimately deadly.

This kill remains memorable not only because of that, but due to its importance to Grace’s character as well. It feels like a turning point for Samara Weaving’s hero, who goes from underestimated prey to a predator intent on survival.

Ignacio El Caído’s Throat Stabbing – Ready Or Not 2: Here I Come

In Ready or Not 2: Here I Come, Ignacio El Caído, played by actor Néstor Carbonell, is an immediate threat to Grace and her sister. He is cool, calm, and collected, and showcases his intent on becoming the new person in power in the Satantic cult.

The sheer ease with which he attempted to kill two innocent women makes him not only a threatening villain, but a disturbing one as well. It’s his unsettling nature that makes Caído’s death so simultaneously shocking and satisfying. This antagonist meets his end during a confrontation with the sisters and another member of the cult vying for the same spot.

Carbonell’s character is abruptly stabbed through the throat with a samurai -esque sword, and then stands there still, in shock, as blood begins to leak out. This moment is one of the first in the Ready or Not sequel that shows that the game has well and truly begun (again).

Caído’s death acts as a catalyst, then, for the sisters to go on and fight for their lives for the rest of the film, meaning that not only is this scene visually appealing, but it’s also incredibly important to the protagonists’ survival as well. In classic Ready or Not fashion, this death also comes with a twist.

Because the person who technically carried out the killing is a member of the cult, named Wan Chen Xing, she then abruptly bursts, with blood flying all over the room (and, of course, getting all over the sisters). This adds to the enjoyment of the scene, with the violence and shock encapsulating the entire franchise well.

Becky Le Domas’ Blunt-Force Death – Ready Or Not

Becky Le Domas is one of the grey area characters in the first Ready or Not. She, at times, appears to show genuine warmth and empathy to those around her, yet still goes on to be committed to the hunting for Grace.

Becky continues to portray herself as a victim of the family and the pressure put on her by them, but she demonstrates a growing cruelty and hatred for Grace as the film goes on.

Her death is an especially brutal one. It’s also a moment of passion for Grace, who uses a wooden ritual box to smash Becky’s head over and over again. At this moment, Grace isn’t just defending herself.

Instead, she’s releasing the rage she’s built up over the course of the night, making this one of the most satisfying kills that takes place across both Ready or Not films.

Titus Danforth’s Ritual Pit Execution – Ready Or Not 2: Here I Come

Titus Danforth, played by Shawn Hatosy, is the sequel film’s primary villain. He’s the heir to the throne, but who’s seat on the council is under pressure because of what Grace did in the first film.

He spends the sequel vying to get that power back and gain control of his surroundings once again. Above all, Titus is also extremely unpredictable, making him a terrifying villain for Grace and Faith to face up against.

Titus stands out among the other hunters not only because of his unpredictability, but because of how he treats the game. He appears to genuinely enjoy it, and despite being under great stress about winning the seat back, Titus is clearly having fun inflicting pain upon the heroes, making him arguably the most disturbing character in the franchise to date.

The forced marriage plot point, where Titus agrees to marry Grace in order to gain power once again, also goes a long way to show his cruelty. He enjoys being in control of Grace in those moments, inflicting psychological torture upon her in a way that pushes the franchise into a newer, even darker area.

This makes him not just another hunter, but the most serious threat Grace comes up against in either film, as he isn’t just threatening her physically, but mentally as well. Titus’ death comes from his decision to marry Grace, as it’s on the altar where the latter gets her revenge.

It’s a scene full of tension, with the audience able to feel that Grace is going to employ some kind of trick to get the last laugh, but it’s unclear what she’s going to do.

Suddenly, Grace stabs Titus, who gasps for air before being pushed into a Devil’s pit full of rotting remains of past members of the cult, along with animals that have been sacrificed. The climax of Ready or Not 2 is the (somewhat) definitive end to Grace’s Satan-related troubles and this kill is a great way to top it off.

The Le Domas Family Explosions – Ready Or Not

No death in the Ready or Not franchise is as shocking, bloody, or audacious as the collective demise of the entire (remaining) Le Domas family at the end of the first film. Grace has just made it to dawn, thus unexpectedly winning the game the family set up for her to lose.

Grace watches on as the family’s fate is sealed by the curse — failure to kill the newlywed bride before dawn, and the entire bloodline is struck down. The family then begin to explode, one by one, as the curse kicks into effect.

What makes this the best kill in the franchise isn’t the amount of blood or gore (although that certainly goes a long way in reinforcing the film’s wacky tone and shocking nature of the story). Instead, the deaths of the rest of the Le Domas family works so well because of how satisfying it is.

Just like Titus, the Le Domas’ were a group the audience had been geared to root against for the entire film that came before. The villains are shown to be evil and cruel people deserving of their fate, making this the best kill/death moment in either Ready or Not film.

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