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Movie Review: ‘Ready Or Not 2: Here I Come’
Samara Weaving in ‘Ready Or Not 2: Here I Come’. Photo by Searchlight Pictures/Pief Weyman, Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2025 Searchlight Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

Opening in theaters on March 20th is ‘Ready or Not 2: Here I Come‘, directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett (aka Radio Silence) and starring Samara Weaving, Kathryn Newton, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Shawn Hatosy, Elijah Wood, Nestor Carbonell, and David Cronenberg.
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Related Article: Samara Weaving and More Talk Sequel ‘Ready or Not 2: Here I Come’

Initial Thoughts

(L to R) Sarah Michelle Gellar and Shawn Hatosy in ‘Ready Or Not 2: Here I Come’. Photo by Searchlight Pictures/Pief Weyman, Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2026 Searchlight Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

‘Ready or Not’ was a breath of fresh air when it came out in 2019: directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett (‘Scream’ and ‘Scream VI’), screenwriters Guy Busick and R. Christopher Murphy, and star Samara Weaving delivered a smart, subversive, often wickedly funny and unapologetically gory horror comedy that poked fun at wealth and marriage.

‘Ready or Not 2: Here I Come’ reunites the same team and adds some more ingredients, including a new cast and an expanded in-movie mythology, occasionally yielding the same results. The movie is fun, although it takes a long time to get going and a lot of what worked the first time already seems familiar now.

Story and Direction

(L to R) Samara Weaving and Kathryn Newton in ‘Ready Or Not 2: Here I Come’. Photo by Searchlight Pictures/Pief Weyman, Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2026 Searchlight Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

The new film literally opens as the first one ends, with a bloodied Grace Le Domas (Weaving) stumbling out of her in-laws’ burning estate, having survived a brutal game on her wedding day in which her new family must sacrifice her to a demon or face ruination and death. Grace (who immediately starts using her maiden name of MacCaullay again) is whisked to the hospital, where she’s met by her estranged sister Faith (Kathryn Newton), who was called as her emergency contact.

Before the siblings can barely start airing grievances, however, they’re attacked (in a too-brief appearance from Kevin Durand); it turns out that the Le Domas family were part of a council of wealthy, powerful families who secretly rule the world thanks to their worship of Satan, and now that one of the families has been wiped out, the others have one night to kill Grace lest the same misfortune befall them. This time, however, Faith is caught up in the hunt, and the two sisters must face a violent onslaught by not one but four families, including the all-powerful Danforth clan.

(L to R) Directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett on the set of ‘Ready Or Not 2: Here I Come’. Photo by Searchlight Pictures/Pief Weyman, Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2026 Searchlight Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

‘Ready or Not 2’ gets off to a creaky start: the entire first act is almost all exposition, as first Grace explains the plot of the first film to Faith, and then a smug, subtly amused Elijah Wood – as the council’s unnamed lawyer – lays down the complicated rules of the new game once Grace and Faith are captured (those rules, by the way, are bent or disregarded more than once as we go along). All that throat-clearing takes a long time and slows the pace to a crawl, only punctuated by the first attack on the sisters in the hospital.

Once the game’s afoot, the action picks up again and the first kill (death by industrial washing machine) is morbidly hilarious, thanks to Weaving and Newton’s reactions. Most of the would-be killers this time are barely sketched in as characters – save for the sinister brother-sister act of the Danforths, played by Shawn Hatosy (‘The Pitt’) and ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ icon Sarah Michelle Gellar – which is a bit of a letdown from the first film: the dynamic there, as the Le Domas clan picked at each other while hunting Grace, offered a scathing critique of family that is missing from the new story.

(L to R): Kara Wooten, Shawn Hatosy, David Cronenberg, and Sarah Michelle Gellar in ‘Ready or Not 2: Here I Come.’ Photo: Searchlight Pictures/Pief Weyman, Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2025 Searchlight Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

In one funny/not funny early sequence, the Danforth patriarch, played by legendary director David Cronenberg, picks up a bedside phone and mutters ‘Approve the ceasefire,’ while watching footage of a war zone on his TV. No sooner does he hang up then a ‘Breaking News’ banner announces the ceasefire. The idea that a small coterie of very rich, well-connected oligarchs runs the world – a sort of cross between the Illuminati and the High Table of the ‘John Wick’ films – is a prescient and all too timely one, but ‘Ready or Not 2’ more or less pays it lip service and moves on.

The film really shines brightest and comes fully alive when the MacCaullay sisters fight, claw, shoot, and kick their way through the vast new labyrinth of a Danforth-owned resort, although it begins to feel repetitive down the stretch. A more acidic layer of social critique is largely absent this time amidst all the hardcore violence and gore. Two movies in, ‘Ready or Not’ is still entertaining but has lost that fresh feeling.

Cast and Performances

(L to R) Nestor Carbonell, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Shawn Hatosy, Elijah Wood, and Nadeem Umar-Khitab in ‘Ready Or Not 2: Here I Come’. Photo by Searchlight Pictures/Pief Weyman, Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2026 Searchlight Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

Although their relationship follows a shopworn narrative arc (the sisters greet each other coldly, fight, make up, fight, make up again, become besties), Weaving and Newton (‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’) make a great team and their interactions do keep ‘Ready or Not 2’ appealing. Weaving’s huge eyes and expressive features only emphasize her star presence, while Newton has undeniable charisma with a jaded undercurrent. Their chemistry makes the siblings’ relationship organic and well-earned.

Gellar and Hatosy make a solid brother-sister act as well, the former working a few extra layers into her character and the latter proving effective as a truly vicious, misogynistic psychopath (with all the money and power in the world at his fingertips). It’s great to see Cronenberg in his extended cameo, and the best of the supporting cast is the ever-efficient lawyer played by Elijah Wood, who’s clearly having himself a grand old time and wants to share it with us.

Final Thoughts

Elijah Wood in ‘Ready Or Not 2: Here I Come’. Photo by Searchlight Pictures/Pief Weyman, Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2026 Searchlight Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

Directors Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett have their strengths, including an eye for detail and a dark sense of humor, as well as their weaknesses, such as a tendency to edit their fight scenes a little too choppily. Their use of already tired tropes (such as scoring a violent confrontation with an incongruous pop ballad) is matched by their ability to concoct macabre but highly funny set pieces and some outrageous moments of gore.

But while ‘Ready or Not 2’ is moderately entertaining (especially in its second half), this sequel doesn’t sizzle like its predecessor despite doubling down on its protagonists, its world-building, and its undeniably hateful (and rich) villains. If the box office gross leads to a third film, the rules of the game may have to be changed before we’re ready (or not) to return.

‘Ready Or Not 2: Here I Come’ receives a score of 70 out of 100.

(L to R): Kathryn Newton and Samara Weaving in ‘Ready or Not 2: Here I
Come.’ Photo: Searchlight Pictures/Pief Weyman, Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2025 Searchlight Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

What is the plot of ‘Ready Or Not 2: Here I Come’?

After surviving a brutal ‘game’ that resulted in the deaths of her husband and in-laws, Grace MacCaullay learns that the wealthiest and most influential families on Earth have to kill her in a new game or risk losing their power and fortunes. Grace refuses to participate at first – until her younger sister, Faith, is also marked for death.

Who is in the cast of ‘Ready Or Not 2: Here I Come’?
- Samara Weaving as Grace MacCaullay
- Kathryn Newton as Faith MacCaullay
- Sarah Michelle Gellar as Ursula Danforth
- Shawn Hatosy as Titus Danforth
- David Cronenberg as Chester Danforth
- Elijah Wood as the Lawyer
- Néstor Carbonell as Ignacio El Caido
- Kevin Durand as Bill Wilkinson
- Olivia Cheng as Wan Chen Xing
- Varun Saranga as Madhu Rajan
- Nadeem Umar-Khitab as Viraj Rajan
- Juan Pablo Romero as Felipe El Caido
- Masa Lizdek as Martina Rajan
- Maia Jae as Francesca El Caido
- Daniel Beirne as Kip Danforth
- Antony Hall as Wan Cheng Fu
‘Ready Or Not 2: Here I Come’ opens in theaters on March 20th.

List of Movies Directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett:
- ‘V/H/S‘ (2012)
- ‘Devil’s Due‘ (2014)
- ‘Southbound‘ (2016)
- ‘Ready or Not‘ (2019)
- ‘Scream‘ (2022)
- ‘Scream VI‘ (2023)
- ‘Abigail‘ (2024)
- ‘Ready or Not 2: Here I Come‘ (2026)
Buy Tickets: ‘Ready or Not 2: Here I Come’ Movie Showtimes

Buy Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett Movies on Amazon
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March 19, 2026
‘Ready or Not 2: Here I Come’ Cast Interviews
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Opening in theaters on March 20th is ‘Ready or Not 2: Here I Come‘, which is a sequel to 2019’s ‘Ready or Not’ and was once again directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett (‘Abigail’), who are also known as Radio Silence.
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Samara Weaving (‘Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins’) returns to her role as Grace MacCaullay and is joined by new cast members Kathryn Newton (‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’), Sarah Michelle Gellar (‘The Grudge’), Shawn Hatosy (‘The Pitt’), Elijah Wood (‘The Monkey’), Nestor Carbonell (‘The Dark Knight’), and David Cronenberg (‘The Fly’).

(L to R) Kathryn Newton, Samara Weaving, Sarah Michelle Gellar and Elijah Wood star in ‘Ready or Not 2: Here I Come’.

Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Samara Weaving, Kathryn Newton, Sarah Michelle Gellar, and Elijah Wood about their work on ‘Ready or Not 2: Here I Come’, Weaving’s return to her character, what it was like for the other actors to join the franchise, the new characters, working with the directors, and what fans of the first movie can expect from the sequel.

You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Weaving, Newton, Gellar, and Wood, as well as directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett.

Related Article: Sarah Michelle Gellar and Elijah Wood Board ‘Ready or Not: Here I Come’

(L to R) Sarah Michelle Gellar and Shawn Hatosy in ‘Ready Or Not 2: Here I Come’. Photo by Searchlight Pictures/Pief Weyman, Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2026 Searchlight Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

Moviefone: To begin with, Sarah Michelle, what would you say to fans sitting down right now in a movie theater to watch this sequel to prepare them for the theatrical experience they are about to have?

Sarah Michelle Gellar: I think that if you love the first one, you’re guaranteed to love the second. But I think the most important thing is to consider that, as popular as the first movie was, they did not rush out a sequel. Radio Silence waited until they knew they had the story and the cast. They really did it right. I think what we do in this one is we really honor the legacy of the first one and just continue that. I would say unhinged is a good word. There’s no setup in this one. You are in it.

Elijah Wood in ‘Ready Or Not 2: Here I Come’. Photo by Searchlight Pictures/Pief Weyman, Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2026 Searchlight Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

MF: Elijah, what would you say to get people excited for this sequel?

Elijah Wood: I mean, get ready for a ride. Like the first film, when that game of Hide and Seek begins, it’s a ride until the end of the film and this movie is no different. The stakes are bigger. It does not let up once it starts. The thing is, it literally starts seconds after the first movie ends. You’re kind of off to the races very quickly.

Samara Weaving in ‘Ready Or Not 2: Here I Come’. Photo by Searchlight Pictures/Pief Weyman, Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2025 Searchlight Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

MF: Samara, is there anything you would like to add to that?

Samara Weaving: Just buckle up. Get ready. It’s going to get weird.

MF: Kathryn, what would you say to prepare fans of the original for this sequel?

Kathryn Newton: I would say have fun and scream. It would be so cool if people walked out of this and saw it again and had something to say every time there was a kill, like a ‘Rocky Horror Picture Show’ situation. Can we come up with some kind of drinking game or something?

Kathryn Newton in ‘Ready Or Not 2: Here I Come’. Photo by Searchlight Pictures/Pief Weyman, Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2026 Searchlight Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

MF: Samara, what was it like for you to return to this franchise and play this character again?

SW: It was a dream. I really didn’t think that I would be able to after the first one because it was such a weird movie and we didn’t know if people would like it or not, because we had such a great time making it. So, the fact that I got to do it again was just the best.

MF: What was it like having Kathryn as a partner this time around?

SW: Oh, so annoying. No, it was so great, because I would get a bit bored on the first one because it would just be me running around like a lunatic. So, it was great, I had a friend on set with this one.

(L to R): Kathryn Newton and Samara Weaving in ‘Ready or Not 2: Here I Come.’ Photo: Searchlight Pictures/Pief Weyman, Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2025 Searchlight Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

MF: Kathryn, were you a fan of the first film and what has it been like for you to join this series?

KN: I was. I was really honored to be a part of it, and wanted to make the growing fan base, the cult fan base even happier, and hopefully they love it. Just to work with Matt and Tyler again was a dream. They’re the best.

(L to R) Nestor Carbonell, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Shawn Hatosy, Elijah Wood, and Nadeem Umar-Khitab in ‘Ready Or Not 2: Here I Come’. Photo by Searchlight Pictures/Pief Weyman, Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2026 Searchlight Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

MF: Sarah Michelle, were you a fan of the first movie and what was it like for you to join the series and take on this role?

SMG: I had seen the original. I was a big fan. I got a call one day, and they said, “Have you ever seen ‘Ready or Not’?” I said, “Yeah, of course.” They said, “Well, they’re making a sequel.” I first thought, “Really? It’s been five or six years, and they usually rush them out.” I read it, and I absolutely loved it. Just from reading it on the page, you see it. I said, “I want to meet the boys immediately.” I met the guys on a Zoom the next day, and I think I said yes about a minute into the meeting. I think that’s about how long it took.

Elijah Wood in ‘Ready Or Not 2: Here I Come’. Photo by Searchlight Pictures/Pief Weyman, Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2026 Searchlight Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

MF: Elijah, your character is very mysterious, and we don’t learn a lot about him during the movie. Did you create a backstory for yourself to understand where he comes from and his role in this world?

EW: No, but I certainly thought about it. Matt, Tyler, and I would talk about who this guy is, and where he’s come from. Is he immortal? Has he been around for centuries? Has he been doing this for a long time? Things like that that certainly kind of were in the fabric of what I was thinking for the character. Then my task was to deliver those rules in as interesting a way as I could.

(L to R) Samara Weaving and Kathryn Newton in ‘Ready Or Not 2: Here I Come’. Photo by Searchlight Pictures/Pief Weyman, Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2026 Searchlight Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

MF: Kathryn, how would you describe the sibling relationship between Grace and Faith and where it stands when the movie starts?

KN: They’re on the rocks. They’ve got things to talk about and they’re not talking, they’re running. There’s no time to be talking. I keep trying to talk and it’s just causing issues. She’s like, “Stop it,” and I’m like, “No.” It’s a little bit of that. There’s a bit of drama, some life and death situations, and we still talk about boys.

MF: Elijah, can you talk about collaborating with directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett on set?

EW: I mean, these guys are so lovely. They are such film fans, such fans of the creation of cinema, and have such enthusiasm that really extends to everybody on set, the cast included, and it is sort of an infectious feeling of we’re all in this thing creating together. It’s very collaborative. I love those guys. They’re lovely and it makes it fun. Listen, they’re very articulate as well, and very clear about what it is that they want. They barely looked stressed.

(L to R) Directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett on the set of ‘Ready Or Not 2: Here I Come’. Photo by Searchlight Pictures/Pief Weyman, Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2026 Searchlight Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

MF: Sarah Michelle, what was your experience like working with Matt and Tyler?

SMG: They treated everyone with the same dignity from number one on the call sheet to every PA that was on the show. I think that it just makes for a really great experience. I mean, I don’t know how to describe it any better than that. There’s no guessing with them. They can always tell you what they want. You don’t have to drag it out of them. But more than anything, I would say that this was a hard shoot. We had very few days. It was a lot of nights. The weather was not cooperative. They never raised their voice, not once in the entire shoot, and that says a lot. Occasionally, at the end of the night, you could see them pacing, trying to figure out what shots they had to cut, but it was more their creative thought process.

MF: Samara, what was it like for you to work with Matt and Tyler again?

SM: They’re the greatest. They’ve become close friends of mine, so it was just any excuse to hang out with them. I’d take a bullet for them. They’re the best.

(L to R) Directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett on the set of ‘Ready Or Not 2: Here I Come’. Photo by Searchlight Pictures/Pief Weyman, Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2026 Searchlight Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

MF: Finally, Kathryn, you worked with Matt and Tyler on ‘Abigail’, but what do you love about working with them as filmmakers?

KN: I think Matt and Tyler are the best audience. They love what they do, and I think they don’t ask much of you. Then when you give them something, they really see it and they really elevate it. I felt like on this movie, they really protected my performance because I did a lot of weird things that I didn’t know would work. Then the other thing they do, Matt specifically, I think because it was the second movie together, he knew things I was capable of that I didn’t. It was important to get the horror and the stakes of the movie. He had to make sure I was doing enough. He had to make sure I was being scared enough, or whatever it called for. So, he elevated my performance, and then they kept it together in the edit.

(L to R) Juan Pablo Romero, Nestor Carbonell, Varun Saranga, Maša Lizdek, Shawn Hatosy, Samara Weaving, Nadeem Umar-Khitab, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Daniel Beirne, Kathryn Newton, Antony Hall, and Olivia Cheng in ‘Ready Or Not 2: Here I Come’. Photo by Searchlight Pictures/Pief Weyman, Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2026 Searchlight Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

What is the plot of ‘Ready or Not 2: Here I Come’?

Grace MacCaullay (Samara Weaving), the sole survivor of a brutal “game” that resulted in the deaths of her husband and in-laws, learns that her victory comes with a price. Now, the wealthiest and most influential families on Earth must kill her in a new game – or risk losing their power and fortunes. Grace refuses to participate at first but is left with no choice when she learns that her younger sister, Faith (Kathryn Newton), has also been marked for death and must protect her at all costs.

Who is in the cast of ‘Ready or Not 2: Here I Come’?
- Samara Weaving as Grace MacCaullay
- Kathryn Newton as Faith MacCaullay
- Sarah Michelle Gellar as Ursula Danforth
- Shawn Hatosy as Titus Danforth
- David Cronenberg as Chester Danforth
- Elijah Wood as The Lawyer
- Néstor Carbonell as Ignacio El Caido
- Kevin Durand as Bill Wilkinson
- Olivia Cheng as Wan Chen Xing
- Varun Saranga as Madhu Rajan
- Nadeem Umar-Khitab as Viraj Rajan
- Juan Pablo Romero as Felipe El Caido
- Masa Lizdek as Martina Rajan
- Maia Jae as Francesca El Caido
- Daniel Beirne as Kip Danforth
- Antony Hall as Wan Cheng Fu
‘Ready Or Not 2: Here I Come’ opens in theaters on March 20th.

List of Movies Directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett:
- ‘V/H/S‘ (2012)
- ‘Devil’s Due‘ (2014)
- ‘Southbound‘ (2016)
- ‘Ready or Not‘ (2019)
- ‘Scream‘ (2022)
- ‘Scream VI‘ (2023)
- ‘Abigail‘ (2024)
- ‘Ready or Not 2: Here I Come‘ (2026)
Buy Tickets: ‘Ready or Not 2: Here I Come’ Movie Showtimes

Buy Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett Movies on Amazon
March 18, 2026
Every ‘Scream’ Movie Ranked from Worst to Best

Ghostface in Paramount Pictures and Spyglass Media Group’s ‘Scream 7’. © 2025 Paramount Pictures. Ghost Face is a Registered Trademark of Fun World Div., Easter Unlimited, Inc. ©1999. All Rights Reserved..

In 1996, director Wes Craven‘s ‘Scream‘ reinvented the horror genre.
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The original film starred Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, and David Arquette, with an unforgettable cameo from Drew Barrymore, and the franchise has added such actors as Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jada Pinkett, Liev Schreiber, Parker Posey, Hayden Panettiere, Jack Quaid, Melissa Barrera, and Jenna Ortega over the years.

With six previous movies, the franchise has gone on to gross over $900 million at the box office. The latest installment, ‘Scream 7‘, once again stars Campbell and Cox, and opens in theaters on February 27th.

In honor of the new film, Moviefone is counting down every ‘Scream’ movie ever made from worst to best, including the latest.

Let’s begin!

Related Article: David Arquette Talks Crime Drama ‘Mob Cops’ and Returning for ‘Scream 7’

7. ‘Scream 3‘ (2000)

(L to R) Parker Posey and Courteney Cox Arquette in ‘Scream 3’. Photo: Dimension Films.

As bodies begin dropping around the Hollywood set of STAB 3, the third film based on the gruesome Woodsboro killings, Sidney (Neve Campbell) and other survivors are once again terrorized by another Ghostface killer.
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6. ‘Scream 4‘ (2011)

Hayden Panettiere in ‘Scream 4’. Photo: Dimension Films.

Ten years after the original Woodsboro murders, one of the survivors returns home to promote their new book about surviving trauma, only for a new Ghostface killer to emerge, targeting a new group of teens.
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5. ‘Scream 7‘ (2026)

Courteney Cox stars in Paramount Pictures and Spyglass Media Group’s ‘Scream 7.’

When a new Ghostface killer emerges in the quiet town where Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) has built a new life, her darkest fears are realized as her daughter becomes the next target. Determined to protect her family, Sidney must face the horrors of her past to put an end to the bloodshed once and for all.
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4. ‘Scream VI‘ (2023)

(L to R) Melissa Barrera (Sam Carpenter) and Jenna Ortega (Tara Carpenter) stars in Paramount Pictures and Spyglass Media Group’s ‘Scream VI.’

Following the latest Ghostface killings, the four survivors leave Woodsboro behind and start a fresh chapter. In ‘Scream VI’, Melissa Barrera (“Sam Carpenter”), Jasmin Savoy Brown (“Mindy Meeks-Martin”), Mason Gooding (“Chad Meeks-Martin”), Jenna Ortega (“Tara Carpenter”), Hayden Panettiere (“Kirby Reed”) and Courteney Cox (“Gale Weathers”) return to their roles in the franchise alongside Jack Champion, Henry Czerny, Liana Liberato, Dermot Mulroney, Devyn Nekoda, Tony Revolori, Josh Segarra, and Samara Weaving.
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3. ‘Scream‘ (2022)

Neve Campbell (“Sidney Prescott”) stars in Paramount Pictures and Spyglass Media Group’s “Scream.”

Twenty-five years after a streak of brutal murders shocked the quiet town of Woodsboro, a new killer has donned the Ghostface mask and begins targeting a group of teenagers to resurrect secrets from the town’s deadly past.
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2. ‘Scream 2’ (1997)

Sarah Michelle Gellar in ‘Scream 2’. Photo: Dimension Films.

Two years after the Woodsboro murders, Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) acclimates to college life while someone donning the Ghostface costume begins a new string of killings.
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1. ‘Scream‘ (1996)

Drew Barrymore in ‘Scream’. Photo: Dimension Films.

A year after the murder of her mother, a teenage girl (Neve Campbell) is terrorized by a masked killer who targets her and her friends by using scary movies as part of a deadly game.
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March 6, 2026
First Images from ‘Ready or Not 2: Here I Come’ Online
(L to R) Kathryn Newton and Samara Weaving in ‘Ready or Not 2: Here I Come.’ Photo: Searchlight Pictures/Pief Weyman, Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2025 Searchlight Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

Preview:
- The first images from ‘Ready or Not 2: Here I Come’ are online.
- Samara Weaving returns, with Kathryn Newton playing her estranged sister.
- Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett are once again in the director’s chair.
When the first sequel to magician heist movie ‘Now You See Me’ came out, there was widespread dismay that it wasn’t called ‘Now You See Me, Now You Don’t.’ While this year’s threequel has finally employed that title, the filmmakers behind 2019’s horror comedy thriller ‘Ready or Not’ are not wasting their own opportunity for a title pun.

Yes, ‘Ready or Not 2: Here I Come’ is on the way next year and the first images are online.
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Returning from the original (since, er, she was pretty much the only one to survive), is Samara Weaving’s Grace, still fighting for her life (see more on the story below).

And the Radio Silence collective, including directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, are also all back.

Related Article: Sarah Michelle Gellar and Elijah Wood Board ‘Ready or Not: Here I Come’

What was the story of ‘Ready or Not’?

(L to R: Juan Pablo Romero, Nestor Carbonell, Varun Saranga, Maša Lizdek, Shawn Hatosy, Samara Weaving, Nadeem Umar-Khitab, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Daniel Beirne, Kathryn Newton, Antony Hall, and Olivia Cheng in ‘Ready or Not 2: Here I Come.’ Photo: Searchlight Pictures/Pief Weyman, Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2025 Searchlight Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

The original movie followed a young bride (Weaving’s Grace) as she joined her new husband’s (Mark O’Brien) rich, eccentric family (which included Adam Brody, Henry Czerny, Andie MacDowell) in a time-honored tradition that turned into a lethal game with everyone fighting for their survival.

Writers Guy Busick and R. Christopher Murphy returned to craft the chaos, and we have an official synopsis: Moments after surviving an all-out attack from the Le Domas family, Grace discovers she’s reached the next level of the nightmarish game –– and this time with her estranged sister Faith (Kathryn Newton) at her side.

Grace has one chance to survive, keep her sister alive, and claim the High Seat of the Council that controls the world. Four rival families are hunting her for the throne, and whoever wins rules it all.

New to the ensemble besides Newton for this one are Sarah Michelle Gellar, Elijah Wood, Shawn Hatosy, Néstor Carbonell, David Cronenberg and Kevin Durand.

‘Ready or Not 2: Here I Come’: the filmmakers speak

(L to R): Kathryn Newton and Samara Weaving in ‘Ready or Not 2: Here I Come.’ Photo: Searchlight Pictures/Pief Weyman, Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2025 Searchlight Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett are clearly happy to be back at it:

“We’re thrilled to be returning to the world of ‘Ready or Not’ with Samara, Brett, Avery and Andrew and so excited to work with this immensely talented cast and the incredible artists across every department joining the ‘Ready or Not’ family.”

When will ‘Ready or Not 2: Here I Come’ be in theaters?

(L to R): Sarah Michelle Gellar and Shawn Hatosy in ‘Ready or Not 2: Here I Come.’ Photo: Searchlight Pictures/Pief Weyman, Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2025 Searchlight Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

The movie has already planted a flag –– let’s be honest, more likely a pickaxe –– in an April 10, 2026 release date.

(L to R): Kathryn Newton and Samara Weaving in ‘Ready or Not 2: Here I Come.’ Photo: Searchlight Pictures/Pief Weyman, Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2025 Searchlight Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

List of Elijah Wood Movies and TV Shows:
- ‘Back to the Future Part II‘ (1989)
- ‘Internal Affairs‘ (1990)
- ‘Avalon‘ (1990)
- ‘Radio Flyer‘ (1992)
- ‘Forever Young‘ (1992)
- ‘The Good Son‘ (1993)
- ‘Flipper‘ (1996)
- ‘The Ice Storm‘ (1997)
- ‘Deep Impact‘ (1998)
- ‘The Faculty‘ (1998)
- ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring‘ (2001)
- ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers‘ (2002)
- ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King‘ (2003)
- ‘Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind‘ (2004)
- ‘Sin City‘ (2005)
- ‘Everything Is Illuminated‘ (2005)
- ‘Green Street Hooligans‘ (2006)
- ‘Happy Feet‘ (2006)
- ‘Wilfred‘ (2007 – 2011)
- ‘Happy Feet Two‘ (2011)
- ‘The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey‘ (2012)
- ‘The Last Witch Hunter‘ (2015)
- ‘Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency‘ (2016 – 2017)
- ‘Come to Daddy‘ (2020)
- ‘Yellowjackets‘ (2021 – 2023)
- ‘Bookworm‘ (2024)
- ‘The Monkey‘ (2025)
Buy Elijah Wood Movies On Amazon
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December 3, 2025
Ryan Kiera Armstrong Joins New ‘Buffy’ Series
Ryan Kiera Armstrong stars in ‘ Star Wars: Skeleton Crew’.

Preview:
- ‘Star Wars: Skeleton Crew’s Ryan Kiera Armstrong is aboard the new ‘Buffy’ series.
- Sarah Michelle Gellar is back as the vampire slayer.
- Chloé Zhao will direct the pilot and produce.
It might not feature white smoke coming out of a chimney as with the recent Pope’s election, but we have a chosen one within the expanding world of ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer.’
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Deadline reports that Ryan Kiera Armstrong, most recently seen as one of the young leads in ‘Star Wars: Skeleton Crew’ is set to add another pop cultural behemoth to her credits, as she’s scored a lead role alongside returning star Sarah Michelle Gellar in the yet to be titled reboot of ‘Buffy.’

To be clear, this will be more a next step than a total reinvention of the vampire slayer concept, which has so far proved reliable on screens big and small and in comic book form.

The new series comes via Hulu, which has a pilot order in place with Gellar as co-star and executive producer.

‘Poker Face’ showrunners Nora and Lilla Zuckerman are developing what is being described as “the next chapter in the Buffyverse.” Oscar winner Chloé Zhao, whose movies include ‘Nomadland’ and Marvel’s ‘Eternals’ is set to direct the pilot and serve as a producer.

Gellar’s Buffy Summers will be a mentor to the new Chosen One played by Armstrong, who like her predecessor will be charged with battling all manner of vampires and other demonic creatures (and endowed with strength and resilience to do so) while also navigating more mundane teenage life issues.

In keeping with the current trend for announcing casting decisions, Gellar took to Instagram to document her telling Armstrong the news that she’s gotten the role:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Sarah Michelle (@sarahmgellar)

Gellar had this to say about the choice:

“From the moment I saw Ryan’s audition, I knew there was only one girl that I wanted by my side. To have that kind of emotional intelligence, and talent, at such a young age is truly a gift. The bonus is that her smile lights up even the darkest room.”

Lilla and Nora Zuckerman used some Buffy terminology to praise their new lead:

“We are so overjoyed to have found this generation’s slayer in Ryan Kiera Armstrong, she absolutely blew us away –– there is no question in our mind that she is the chosen one.”

Related Article: Sarah Michelle Gellar Aboard ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ Sequel Pilot

What was the story of ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’?

(L to R) David Boreanaz and Sarah Michelle Gellar in ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’. Photo: 20th Century Fox Television.

‘Buffy’ is a concept that has already shown an ability to evolve.
It originated as a film starring Kristy Swanson in the title role. Joss Whedon wrote the film with Fran Kuzui directing and was released in 1992.

Five years later, the series version, created by Whedon and now starring Gellar, debuted on The WB.

It aired on The WB for its first five seasons before airing its final two seasons on UPN.

The cast also included Nicholas Brendon, Alyson Hannigan, Charisma Carpenter, Anthony Stewart Head, David Boreanaz, Seth Green, and James Marsters among others. Boreanaz would then head up the spinoff series ‘Angel’ at The WB for five seasons.

The original series’ executive producers included Gail Berman of the Jackal Group and Fran Kuzui & Kaz Kuzui via Suite B, who will all get a credit on the new pilot.

The cast of ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’. Photo: 20th Century Fox Television.

And fun fact: also executive producing the pilot is Dolly Parton, whose company Sandollar was producer on the original.

Whedon, who oversaw the show’s seven-season run, will not return to work on any new version. In 2021, the writer/producer, who also crafted the first two ‘Avengers’ movies and TV series ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’ for Marvel, was accused of creating a toxic work environment on both ‘Buffy’ and ‘Angel’ by nearly a dozen people associated with the show, particularly Carpenter.

Fellow cast members such as Amber Benson and Michelle Trachtenberg backed up her allegations.

Berman, and the Kuzuis previously teamed up with 20th TV in 2018 for a potential ‘Buffy’ reboot written by ‘Midnight, Texas’ creator Monica Owusu-Breen, on which Whedon was an executive producer. That project, whose lead was envisioned as a Black woman, didn’t move forward.

The biggest dangling question any sequel series would need to answer is the clever notion introduced by the series’ final season, in that Buffy’s death (she got better) in a previous season triggered a raft of new potential Slayers.

And now we have an answer to whether we’ll see one in the new show: a big yes, since Armstrong will take on that role.

What has Sarah Michelle Gellar previously said about returning for a new ‘Buffy’ series?

Sarah Michelle Gellar in ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’. Photo: 20th Century Fox Television.

Gellar has been in two minds about the idea of reprising Buffy Summers.

In 2023, she poured cold water on taking on a new ‘Buffy’ series, telling UK magazine SFX:

“I am very proud of the show that we created and it doesn’t need to be done. We wrapped that up. I am all for them continuing the story because there’s the story of female empowerment. I love the way the show was left: ‘Every girl who has the power can have the power.’ It’s set up perfectly for someone else to have the power. But like I said, the metaphors of ‘Buffy’ were the horrors of adolescence. I think I look young, but I am not an adolescent.”

Yet last year, she appeared on ‘The Drew Barrymore Show’ where she was open to it:

“I always used to say no because it’s in its bubble and it’s so perfect. But watching ‘And Just Like That…’ (the ‘Sex and the City’ sequel series) and seeing ‘Dexter: Original Sin,’ and realizing there are ways to do it, definitely does get your mind thinking, ‘Well, maybe.’”

Less maybe, these days, more fully aboard.

When will the new ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ series hit screens?

Hulu has yet to say when this might premiere and, indeed, with that pilot order, it’s still more of a case of if the show passes muster.

Still, given that attractive, grabby recognizable title and the original star attached, we’d guess this one has a good chance.

The cast of ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’. Photo: 20th Century Fox Television.

List of Movies and TV Shows in the ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ Franchise:
- ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer‘ (1992)
- ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer‘ (1997 – 2003)
- ‘Angel‘ (1999 – 2004)
- ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Animated Series‘ (2004)
- ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 8 Motion Comic‘ (2010)
Buy ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ Movies and TV On Amazon
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May 15, 2025
Sarah Michelle Gellar & Elijah Wood Join ‘Ready or Not’ Sequel
(Left) Sarah Michelle Gellar in ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’. Photo: 20th Century Fox Television. (Right) Elijah Wood in ‘Bookworm’. Photo: Rialto Distribution.

Preview:
- Sarah Michelle Gellar and Elijah Wood have boarded the ‘Ready or Not’ sequel.
- Samara Weaving is returning to star.
- The movie is about to start shooting.
The cameras are about to roll on the follow-up to 2019 horror hit ‘Ready or Not,’ which means that directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett –– part of the filmmaking collective known as Radio Silence alongside producers Justin Martinez and Chad Villella –– are getting ready to unleash the chaos of games-turned-deadly once again.
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Following the success of the original –– $6 million budget with more than $57 million at the box office worldwide, the sequel, which we now know is rather wonderfully titled ‘Ready or Not: Here I Come,’ is adding some cast members to join the established Samara Weaving (who will reprise the role of Grace from the original) and more recent addition Kathryn Newton.

And the new recruits should be familiar to anyone who enjoys genre titles: Sarah Michelle Gellar and Elijah Wood.

They’re not the only fresh faces signing up to work on the new movie: Shawn Hatosy, Néstor Carbonell, Kevin Durand (who, like Newton, worked with the directors on vampire romp ‘Abigail’) and directing legend/occasional actor David Cronenberg are rounding out the cast.

Related Article: Samara Weaving and Radio Silence Team Reuniting for ‘Ready or Not’ Sequel

What was the story of ‘Ready or Not’?

The cast of ‘Ready or Not’. Photo: Fox Searchlight Pictures.

The original movie followed a young bride (Weaving’s Grace) as she joined her new husband’s (Mark O’Brien) rich, eccentric family (which included Adam Brody, Henry Czerny, Andie MacDowell) in a time-honored tradition that turned into a lethal game with everyone fighting for their survival.

Spoiler alert in case you didn’t see the film: Weaving’s character was just about the only person to make it out of the game alive.

Which means it’s hard to predict what will happen in the follow-up. Could there be previously unseen family members who come out of the woodwork to threaten Grace? Will she find herself in a different but equally dangerous weird life-threatening situation?

We can only guess at this point, but with writers Guy Busick and R. Christopher Murphy returning to craft the chaos, it’ll surely be just as lethal.

‘Ready or Not: Here I Come’: The filmmakers speak

Director Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, left, and Director Tyler Gillett on the set of Paramount Pictures and Spyglass Media Group’s ‘Scream VI.’

Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett are clearly happy to be back at it:

“We’re thrilled to be returning to the world of ‘Ready or Not’ with Samara, Brett, Avery and Andrew and so excited to work with this immensely talented cast and the incredible artists across every department joining the ‘Ready or Not’ family.”

And here’s what Searchlight Pictures president Matthew Greenfield had to say:

“We’re beyond excited to make another film with the phenomenal Radio Silence. With ‘Ready or Not: Here I Come,’ we get to go on another ride with the amazing Samara Weaving, mix in awesome new voices and bring audiences a fresh take that’s every bit as twisted and fun as the first one. This is for those who’ve been waiting, and those who didn’t see it coming.”

Where else have we seen Sarah Michelle Gellar and Elijah wood?

(L to R) Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jennifer Love Hewitt and Ryan Phillippe in ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’. Photo: Columbia Pictures.

Sarah Michelle Gellar is no stranger to the world of sci-fi and fantasy, particularly on the small screen. She’s still best known for playing Buffy Summers, the main character of much-loved series ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer,’ and is an executive producer on the rebooted version of the show that is now in development.

Elsewhere on TV, she’s been seen in shows such as ‘Dexter: Original Sin,’ ‘Wolf Pack,’ ‘The Crazy Ones,’ ‘Ringer’ and ‘Buffy’ spin-off ‘Angel.’

Movie-wise, her credits include ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer,’ ‘Scream 2,’ ‘Small Soldiers,’ ‘Simply Irresistible,’ ‘Cruel Intentions,’ the American version of ‘The Grudge’ and as Daphne in the two live-action ‘Scooby Doo’ movies.

She’s attached to star in and produce a new TV series called ‘Bad Summer People.’

(L to R) Laura Mennell, Elijah Wood and Theo James in ‘The Monkey’. Photo: Neon.

As for Wood, he got his start as a child actor, making his movie debut in ‘Back to the Future Part II.’

Since then, he’s been seen in the likes of ‘Forever Young,’ ‘Flipper,’ ‘The Ice Storm,’ ‘Deep Impact,’ ‘The Faculty,’ ‘Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,’ ‘Sin City,’ ‘The Monkey‘ and voiced Mumble in the two ‘Happy Feet’ movies.

But far and away on his resume in terms of impact is his work on Peter Jackson’s three giant ‘Lord of the Rings’ movies, in which he played Frodo Baggins.

Since then, he’s also become something of a producer, helping filmmakers get their work on screens.

His TV credits include ‘Yellowjackets,’ ‘Star Wars: Resistance,’ ‘Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency,’ ‘Wilfred’ and ‘Frasier.’

When will ‘Ready or Not: Here I Come’ be in theaters?

Backers Searchlight Pictures haven’t yet announced when the sequel will be causing chaos on screens, but with production gearing up, a 2026 release surely isn’t out of the question.

Elijah Wood in ‘Bookworm’. Photo: Rialto Distribution.

List of Elijah Wood Movies and TV Shows:
- ‘Back to the Future Part II‘ (1989)
- ‘Internal Affairs‘ (1990)
- ‘Avalon‘ (1990)
- ‘Radio Flyer‘ (1992)
- ‘Forever Young‘ (1992)
- ‘The Good Son‘ (1993)
- ‘Flipper‘ (1996)
- ‘The Ice Storm‘ (1997)
- ‘Deep Impact‘ (1998)
- ‘The Faculty‘ (1998)
- ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring‘ (2001)
- ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers‘ (2002)
- ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King‘ (2003)
- ‘Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind‘ (2004)
- ‘Sin City‘ (2005)
- ‘Everything Is Illuminated‘ (2005)
- ‘Green Street Hooligans‘ (2006)
- ‘Happy Feet‘ (2006)
- ‘Wilfred‘ (2007 – 2011)
- ‘Happy Feet Two‘ (2011)
- ‘The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey‘ (2012)
- ‘The Last Witch Hunter‘ (2015)
- ‘Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency‘ (2016 – 2017)
- ‘Come to Daddy‘ (2020)
- ‘Yellowjackets‘ (2021 – 2023)
- ‘Bookworm‘ (2024)
- ‘The Monkey‘ (2025)
Buy Elijah Wood Movies On Amazon
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April 25, 2025
‘Buffy’ Sequel Series Pilot Ordered at Hulu
Sarah Michelle Gellar in ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’. Photo: 20th Century Fox Television.

Preview:
- Sarah Michelle Gellar is attached to a ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ sequel pilot.
- Nora Zuckerman and Lila Zuckerman are aboard to write, showrun, and executive produce.
- Chloé Zhao will direct the pilot and produce.
As the opening narration of ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ used to intone, “In every generation there is a chosen one. She alone will stand against the vampires, the demons, and the forces of darkness. She is the Slayer.”

If Hulu’s plans work out, we might just get to meet this generation’s Slayer –– with a little help from the previous one.

Yes, in a world where every old show and movie is now potential fodder for a sequel, reboot or remake, ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ is one that has been talked about a few times before.
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Now, according to The Hollywood Reporter, it might actually come to fruition, as word arrives that streaming service Hulu is exploring the concept of a ‘Buffy’ streaming series.

With Disney’s 20th Television backing the idea, ‘Poker Face’ showrunners Nora and Lilla Zuckerman are developing what is being described as “the next chapter in the Buffyverse.”

Chloé Zhao poses backstage with the Oscars® for Directing and Best Picture the during the live ABC Telecast of The 93rd Oscars® at Union Station in Los Angeles, CA on Sunday, April 25, 2021. Credit/Provider: Matt Petit / A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.

Oscar winner Chloé Zhao, whose movies include ‘Nomadland’ and Marvel’s ‘Eternals’ is set to direct the pilot and serve as a producer.

But perhaps more exciting for ‘Buffy’ fans is news that the original Buffy Summers herself, Sarah Michelle Gellar, is attached to recur on the show, albeit more as a mentor figure to the new focus, a fresh-faced Slayer who will be tasked with tackling vampires and other supernatural creatures.

Related Article: What Gets Hinted At In ‘Eternals,’ And How Will The MCU Be Affected?

What was the story of ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’?

The cast of ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’. Photo: 20th Century Fox Television.

‘Buffy’ is a concept that has already shown an ability to evolve.
It originated as a film starring Kristy Swanson in the title role. Joss Whedon wrote the film with Fran Kuzui directing and was released in 1992.

Five years later, the series version, created by Whedon and now starring Gellar, debuted on The WB.

It aired on The WB for its first five seasons before airing its final two seasons on UPN.

The cast also included Nicholas Brendon, Alyson Hannigan, Charisma Carpenter, Anthony Stewart Head, David Boreanaz, Seth Green, and James Marsters among others. Boreanaz would then head up the spinoff series ‘Angel’ at The WB for five seasons.

The original series’ executive producers included Gail Berman of the Jackal Group and Fran Kuzui & Kaz Kuzui via Suite B, who will all get a credit on the new pilot.

The cast of ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’. Photo: 20th Century Fox Television.

And fun fact: also executive producing the pilot is Dolly Parton, whose company Sandollar was producer on the original.

Whedon, who oversaw the show’s seven-season run, will not return to work on any new version. In 2021, the writer/producer, who also crafted the first two ‘Avengers’ movies and TV series ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’ for Marvel, was accused of creating a toxic work environment on both ‘Buffy’ and ‘Angel’ by nearly a dozen people associated with the show, particularly Carpenter.

Fellow cast members such as Amber Benson and Michelle Trachtenberg backed up her allegations.

Berman, and the Kuzuis previously teamed up with 20th TV in 2018 for a potential ‘Buffy’ reboot written by ‘Midnight, Texas’ creator Monica Owusu-Breen, on which Whedon was an executive producer. That project, whose lead was envisioned as a Black woman, didn’t move forward.

The biggest dangling question any sequel series would need to answer is the clever notion introduced by the series’ final season, in that Buffy’s death (she got better) in a previous season triggered a raft of new potential Slayers. Is there just going to be one in the new series? We’ll have to wait and see.

What has Sarah Michelle Gellar previously said about returning for a new ‘Buffy’ series?

Sarah Michelle Gellar in ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’. Photo: 20th Century Fox Television.

Gellar has been in two minds about the idea of reprising Buffy Summers.

In 2023, she poured cold water on taking on a new ‘Buffy’ series, telling UK magazine SFX:

“I am very proud of the show that we created and it doesn’t need to be done. We wrapped that up. I am all for them continuing the story because there’s the story of female empowerment. I love the way the show was left: ‘Every girl who has the power can have the power.’ It’s set up perfectly for someone else to have the power. But like I said, the metaphors of ‘Buffy’ were the horrors of adolescence. I think I look young, but I am not an adolescent.”

Yet last year, she appeared on ‘The Drew Barrymore Show’ where she was open to it:

“I always used to say no because it’s in its bubble and it’s so perfect. But watching ‘And Just Like That…’ (the ‘Sex and the City’ sequel series) and seeing ‘Dexter: Original Sin,’ and realizing there are ways to do it, definitely does get your mind thinking, ‘Well, maybe.’”

It seems the new concept has shifted her from “maybe” to all in…

When will the new ‘Buffy’ series be on screens?

Hulu has yet to make any official announcement –– and indeed, hasn’t confirmed any of the details, so we’ll have to wait and see whether this even makes it into production, let alone learn a launch date for the eventual show on the streaming service.

(L to R) David Boreanaz and Sarah Michelle Gellar in ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’. Photo: 20th Century Fox Television.

List of Movies and TV Shows in the ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ Franchise:
- ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer‘ (1992)
- ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer‘ (1997 – 2003)
- ‘Angel‘ (1999 – 2004)
- ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Animated Series‘ (2004)
- ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 8 Motion Comic‘ (2010)
Buy ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ Movies On Amazon
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February 4, 2025
Freddie Prinze Jr. Joins the New ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ Sequel
Freddie Prinze Jr. in ‘The Girl in the Pool’.

Preview:
- Freddie Prinze Jr. is aboard the new ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ sequel.
- The new movie’s story is a mystery for now.
- Jennifer Kaytin Robinson is co-writing and directing the new film.
Is ‘I know What You Did Last Summer’ looking to follow ‘Scream’ down the legacy sequel route? It certainly appears that way as original cast member Freddie Prinze Jr. has now agreed to appear in the latest movie.

The new film –– currently called just ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ (in that confusing ‘Scream’ style) is coming together at Sony.

And the creative team had been in talks with more than one member of the original cast to show up, with Prinze Jr.’s co-star Jennifer Love Hewitt also discussing a deal to return.
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What’s the story of ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’?

(L to R) Freddie Prinze Jr., Jennifer Love Hewitt, Sarah Michelle Gellar and Ryan Phillippe in ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’. Photo: Columbia Pictures.

The original movie starred Prinze Jr., Hewitt, Sarah Michelle Gellar and Ryan Phillippe as four teens from a small seaside town who are stalked by a hook-wielding killer one year after covering up a car accident that was believed to be fatal.

That film became a box office success with $125 million globally. It was followed by the 1998 sequel ‘I Still Know What You Did Last Summer’ with Hewitt and Prinze Jr. as well as the straight-to-video reboot ‘I’ll Always Know What You Did Last Summer.’

Prime Video attempted a TV version in 2021, which ran for one season.

What is happening with the new ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’?

(L to R) Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jennifer Love Hewitt and Ryan Phillippe in ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’. Photo: Columbia Pictures.

While the plotline is unknown, we could see the new characters tackling the further fallout from the original crime, with Prinze Jr. returning to help (or hinder).

Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, who previously directed the likes of ‘Do Revenge’ and ‘Someone Great’, is handling the new film, having written the latest draft of the script alongside Sam Lansky.

The new cast for the movie includes Chase Sui Wonders, Madelyn Cline, Sarah Pidgeon, Tyriq Withers and Jonah Hauer-King.

Camila Mendes was originally part of that cast but had to drop out due to a schedule clash with the new ‘Masters of the Universe‘ movie, where she’s playing Teela.

Freddie Prinze Jr. talks his experience on the original

Freddie Prinze Jr. in ‘I Still Know What You Did Last Summer’. Photo: Columbia Pictures.

Prinze Jr. will certainly be hoping to have a better time of it on the new movie, remembering his nightmarish experiences on the first film.

Here’s what he said on his ‘That Was Pretty Scary’ podcast:

“It was a struggle to finish work every day. I was in pain every single day on that movie. However, it prepared me for this business in a way. I’m forever grateful to Jim for being such an asshole because I’ve never met one like that since… No other director I’ve met felt crossing those lines would be OK. I’ve been prepared for every lesser A-hole in the business.”

Related Article: Freddie Prinze Jr. and Monica Potter Talk ‘The Girl in the Pool’

When will the new ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ be in theaters?

Sony has scheduled the movie for a July 18th, 2025 release.

(L to R) Freddie Prinze Jr. and Jennifer Love Hewitt in 1997’s ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer.’ Photo: Columbia/courtesy Everett Collection.

Other Movies and TV Shows in the ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ Franchise:
- ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer‘ (1997)
- ‘I Still Know What You Did Last Summer‘ (1998)
- ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer‘ (2021)
Buy ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ Movies on Amazon
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September 25, 2024
‘Cruel Intentions’ TV Series in the Works
(L to R) Reese Witherspoon and Sarah Michelle Gellar in 1999’s ‘Cruel Intentions.’

Like a slow-boiled revenge plot finally coming to fruition, it looks like Amazon may finally have cracked a small-screen version of 1999 teen seduction thriller ‘Cruel Intentions’, which starred some of Hollywood’s biggest young stars of the time.

According to TV Line, the company is targeting the new show for either its free-with-commercials Freevee service or the main Prime Video subscription streamer.

More than one failed attempt litters the TV development ground, including a Fox-based prequel series called ‘Manchester Prep’ that never made it to air but was repurposed as a direct-to-video film called ‘Cruel Intentions 2’ in 2000. And 2004 saw another video release, ‘Cruel Intentions 3’.
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What happened in the 1999 movie?

As directed by Roger Kumble, ‘Cruel Intentions’ — itself based on the 18th-century novel Dangerous Liaisons — starred Sarah Michelle Gellar and Ryan Phillippe as step-siblings Kathryn Merteuil and Sebastian Valmont, who wagered on Sebastian’s ability to seduce Annette Hargrove (Reese Witherspoon), the daughter of the headmaster at their elite New York City prep school.

There were scandals and double-crosses, plots and moral lessons.

(L to R) Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe in 1999’s ‘Cruel Intentions.’

Related Article: Reese Witherspoon Back for ‘Election’ Sequel

What’s the plot of the new show?

The new ‘Cruel Intentions’ plans to shift the action somewhat, which should allow for a fresh take, albeit with recognizable elements from the original book and movie.

Set in Washington, D.C., the series follows two ruthless step-siblings who will do anything to stay at the top of the Greek Life hierarchy at their elite college. When a brutal hazing incident threatens the entire Panhellenic system, they’ll do whatever is necessary to preserve their power and reputations… including seducing the daughter of the U.S. vice president.

‘Euphoria’s Phoebe Fisher is on to write the pilot alongside ‘Gossip Girl’ veteran Sara Goodman. Which feels appropriate, since ‘Cruel Intentions’ could fit happily into the same genre of the latter in particular.

This is far from the first attempt to turn the movie into a show. In 2016, NBC ordered a pilot for a version that would pick up more directly from the original. In it, Annette (with Kate Levering taking over the role), is raising the baby she had after her relationship with Sebastian (who dies at the end of the movie). Set 16 years later, Annette once again interacts with Kathryn (which would see Sarah Michelle Gellar returning to the role) when the teen, Bash, runs away to San Diego.

The series didn’t go beyond that point despite Sony Pictures TV then looking for a new home, and Gellar admits she didn’t think it would work in hindsight.

Here’s what she had to say to TV Line:

“On the first day, I was like, ‘This isn’t working.’ It’s just not a network show. And if it is a network show, it’s not my ‘Cruel Intentions’. So, I was actually grateful.”

Production on the new show should be kicking off this July in Toronto.

(L to R) Selma Blair and Sarah Michelle Gellar in 1999’s ‘Cruel Intentions.’

Movies Similar to ‘Cruel Intentions:’
- ‘Dangerous Liaisons‘ (1989)
- ‘Poison Ivy‘ (1992)
- ‘The Crush‘ (1993)
- ‘Fear‘ (1996)
- ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer‘ (1997)
- ‘Wild Things‘ (1998)
- ‘I Still Know What You Did Last Summer‘ (1998)
- ‘The Skulls‘ (2000)
- ‘Cruel Intentions 2‘ (2000)
- ‘Cruel Intentions 3‘ (2004)
Buy ‘Cruel Intentions’ on Amazon
April 10, 2023
‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ Sequel to Reunite Original Cast

(L to R) Freddie Prinze Jr. and Jennifer Love Hewitt in 1997’s ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer.’ Photo: Columbia/courtesy Everett Collection.

In horror movies, famously, almost no one is ever really dead. And in our current, not-yet-crested wave of pop cultural nostalgia, no old entertainment property is deemed unworthy of an excavation or potential reboot.

These two separate truths meet in a hearty high-five with today’s news, according to Deadline, that a “legacy-quel” is in the works for the 1997 teen slasher flick ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer,’ with original stars Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr. already in talks to return.

Looking to renew their IP control, Sony Pictures, which produced the first film, recently took a meeting with director Jennifer Kaytin Robinson and actress-turned-screenwriter Leah McKendrick (‘Deviant Love,’ ‘M.F.A.‘), and liked what they heard enough to give a green light to their pitch. Original series producer Neal H. Moritz is also potentially rejoining the project.

The news comes, of course, after Paramount successfully rebooted the ‘Scream’ franchise last year, to the tune of $140 million in theatrical receipts, with a movie that blended old, familiar franchise faces and new characters.

It also follows a previous stab at franchise rejuvenation which stalled out. A little over eight years ago, coming on the heels of the buzzy, well-regarded low-budget horror movie ‘Oculus,’ Sony committed to a ‘Summer’ reboot from writer-director Mike Flanagan, who would go on to make ’Before I Wake’ and ‘Doctor Sleep.’ It was put on their release calendar for 2016, but never started shooting, and was eventually cancelled.

(L to R) Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jennifer Love Hewitt and Ryan Phillippe in 1997’s ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer.’

Based on the bestselling, red herring-heavy 1973 young adult suspense novel by Lois Duncan, the original movie centered around four young friends, bound together by a tragic accident and its cover-up, who are reunited when they receive a threatening note and subsequently find themselves being stalked by hook-wielding maniac who is also heavily into Gorton’s Fisherman cosplay. A $125 million box office hit, the 1997 movie helped launch the big screen careers of Hewitt, Prinze, Sarah Michelle Gellar, and Ryan Phillippe.

With last year’s ‘Scream’ already having taken a bit of the steam out of legacy sequels, in addition to having some fun at the expense of so-called elevated horror, it remains to be seen what form and direction a new ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ will take.

While 1996’s ‘Scream’ and the original ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ shared a screenwriter in Kevin Williamson, the former leaned into a post-modern, self-referential tone, while the latter embraced much more conventional genre plotting.

The original ‘Summer’ was followed by two sequels, 1998’s ’I Still Know What You Did Last Summer,’ which also featured Hewitt and Prinze, and 2006’s more supernaturally-oriented ‘I’ll Always Know What You Did Last Summer,’ which featured an entirely new cast.

Presumably the new movie will not feature a plot which extensively drills down into a strenuous and grammatically exacting unpacking of just which summer’s events are actually now known, and thus subject to deadly score-settling, but tiresome pedants everywhere would surely celebrate such a plot. Rather, one can expect a somewhat more streamlined tale of unearthed secrets and murderous revenge, leaning into the adage that the past is never really dead.

A co-screenwriter on ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ and consulting producer on ‘Hawkeye,’ Robinson made her feature directorial debut with 2019’s romantic comedy ‘Someone Great,’ and additionally drew positive notices for ‘Do Revenge,’ a high school-set black comedy loosely inspired by Alfred Hitchcock’s ‘Strangers on a Train.’ Her latest effort, it seems, could involve a bit more blood.

(L to R)Jennifer Love Hewitt, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe and Freddie Prinze Jr. in 1997’s ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer.’
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February 7, 2023