Ready Or Not 2 Screenwriter Reveals The Condition For A Trilogy & Breaks Down The Biggest Spoilers [Exclusive]

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Following his work on the latest Scream film, writer Guy Busick is back with Ready or Not 2: Here I Come. The sequel, directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett (of Radio Silence) and co-written with R. Christopher Murphy, continues Grace’s (Samara Weaving) terrifying story right after her brutal night escaping her in-laws’ deadly game of hide-and-seek. But surviving wasn’t the end – Grace and her sister Faith (Kathryn Newton) are now pulled into another round, with the fate of their lives – and the world – hanging in the balance.

In a recent interview with ComicBook, Busick discussed plans for a potential sequel, including new gameplay elements, more realistic effects, and the ultimate outcome for Grace’s character. (Please be aware: this interview contains major spoilers for Ready or Not 2: Here I Come.) The conversation also touched on the possibility of a third Ready or Not film and whether Grace’s story has reached its conclusion, or if she’s finally escaped her circumstances.

Creating these movies is a lot like the Scream franchise – James and I worked on the fifth and sixth ones – you really can’t predict how they’ll perform. We never plan out a series of three movies, or even a sequel, for that matter. Though, we do occasionally brainstorm ideas on set – I won’t pretend that never happens. I’m proud that we treat each movie as a complete story in itself. That way, if this turns out to be the last one, it will feel like a satisfying conclusion. I honestly don’t know what the future holds for the series.

I know I love this character and I love this world. It’s the only franchise Ryan and I have created with the rest of the team and producers and Radio Silence. It’s important to us and special. I would just say, as I said up top, if we can’t crack the perfect idea, I wouldn’t want to do it. I wouldn’t want to tarnish what I would consider to be two really fun movies. They are probably my two favorite movies that I have ever worked on. I guess we will see what the future holds. We will see how this one does and the conversations that happen. I definitely have a notepad with some ideas scribbled down, and I know Ryan does, too. We will see.”

The movie Scream has a specific storytelling pattern. When creating Ready or Not: Here I Come, how much did you feel the need to be original while still connecting it to the story established in the first film?

Guy Busick explained that they only wanted to make a sequel if there was a compelling reason. Everyone involved with the original film – the producers, the studio, his writing partner Ryan, the cast, and especially Samara – felt a strong connection to it and were incredibly proud of the positive reception it had received over the years. They were hesitant to revisit the story, fearing they might damage the legacy of the first movie. When the studio expressed interest in a sequel shortly after the first film’s release, they approached the idea cautiously, wanting to ensure they didn’t ruin something special.

Ryan and I realized early on that our initial ideas weren’t strong enough to justify a sequel. We then started thinking about the Van Horn family, who were mentioned in the first movie and tried to hide the truth about what happened to them – everyone believed they died in a fire, but that was just the story they wanted people to believe. This led us to wonder if other families had also made deals with Mr. Le Bail, the Devil. We began to explore who these families were, if they were communicating with each other, and if there was some kind of organization connecting them. We started asking questions like, who leads this group and who is ultimately in control?

A key moment in finalizing the plot came at the very end, when Grace survives an explosion and sees Mr. Le Bail briefly nod at her. Ryan and I immediately wondered what that nod signified, and it led us to the idea that Grace would be offered a chance at something bigger. While she’d still be hunted, it would be a fight for ultimate power – if she survived, she would rule the world. We realized this was a huge, somewhat outlandish concept, but it felt necessary to justify bringing her character back and subjecting her to another difficult journey. Ultimately, we wanted to maintain the core essence of the story and character.

As a huge fan of the series, we really wanted to ramp up the tension of the core concept – it’s always been this thrilling game of hide-and-seek, right? So we asked ourselves, what if the people hunting were genuinely skilled? And what if we moved away from the familiar, enclosed setting and opened things up? We focused on enhancing those franchise flavors – the deadly game, the desperate fight for survival – and quickly landed on a central idea. It felt right almost immediately! We pitched it to the key creatives and producers, and they were on board. From that initial concept, the core stayed pretty consistent, though naturally, the details evolved over the years as we developed the script.

Did you ever entertain making Grace partake in another type of game?

We spent a lot of time brainstorming, just throwing out any idea, no matter how wild. We asked ourselves what would be fun and surprising. But in the end, we decided not to deviate too much from the original concept. Instead, we focused on adding a ton of unexpected twists throughout the movie, and crafting a completely unpredictable third act. We really wanted to go bigger and better than the first film, and I think we succeeded.

Can you talk about introducing this council and giving this instalment a global flare?

The initial concept also included a council made up of different families, with one family holding the most power. We enjoyed developing playful interactions between these families throughout the writing process. We always envisioned them as a sort of lively commentary on the main events, like a Greek chorus. We actually wrote a lot more of this commentary at first, but it ultimately didn’t contribute to the story or plot, so we had to cut it back.

So, what did being in charge actually get Chester? Essentially, he enjoyed tormenting the other council members – the other wealthy families – just to be difficult. It was about small, controlling acts, like making someone climb a mountain for a cup of coffee simply because he could. The movie emphasized that everyone had to follow the rules, and Grace ultimately exploited a loophole. That loophole was accidentally exposed by Titus, and it led to his ruin.

Was Ursula killed simply to create a plot twist, or to show that Titus is a dangerous and unfeeling person?

The film actually focuses on two sets of siblings: one reconnecting, and the other growing distant. Titus was only kept in line by his father, who is now gone. Ursula attempts to control him as their father did, but Titus comes to a realization during a difficult day and night: he doesn’t want to be controlled by anyone and wants everything for himself. He also overhears Ursula plotting against him, leading him to decide to take action first, using his size and strength to overpower her.

A key part of the story involves Grace discovering a loophole: technically, the rules don’t forbid killing a family member. Once she’s officially married, she’s able to act on this. She destroys everything – burning down structures, disbanding the council, and severing all ties with the family and organization. This finally allows her to be free and reunite with her sister, completing a significant personal journey.

How much fun was it making some of the council and some of them family incompetent boobs?

We noticed some of the antagonists, like in the first film, aren’t very skilled. We really wanted at least one of the main villains to be a truly dangerous and capable hunter. Titus definitely fits that bill – he’s frighteningly violent. However, many of these wealthy characters are out of touch with reality and don’t understand how things work in the real world. It made us consider how much actual experience these people have. Viraj, from the Rajan family, is intimidating, and while our heroes ultimately overcome him, it’s a close call. Little Felipe, with his machine pistols, seems to be the most competent member of the El Caido family. Francesca, on the other hand, appears completely clueless. We did make sure some of them are capable, because the antagonists in the first movie were all completely inept. This time, we needed to raise the tension and make things genuinely scary for Grace.

The first ‘Ready or Not’ ended with a very explosive and violent climax involving the Le Domas family. The filmmakers faced a challenge: how could they create an ending for the sequel that was even more impactful?

We knew we had to deliver something impactful, but surpassing the shock value of the first installment felt impossible. We focused on a surprising choice Grace makes with the ring – she possesses the power to control the world, yet willingly relinquishes it, having witnessed its corrupting influence. This became our central twist, shifting the focus away from the question of whether the Devil is real. The secret is out, and we’re committed to taking things to the next level. To achieve this, we’re starting with a dramatic moment – a character explodes early on, which you can see in the trailer. We’re promising a satisfying continuation that, while different from the first one, will be just as compelling. It does get intense and violent towards the end, but ultimately we aimed for a twist driven by character and emotion, leaving the audience feeling fulfilled.

There’s also a rule that a council member’s entire family line could be eliminated if they kill another council member, whether on purpose or by accident.

That idea was one of the first things we developed. Once we introduced it, we knew we had to follow through. Writing those scenes was a real highlight of the entire project. Interestingly, the sound effect for the explosions is written as “Paff” in the script – that’s what it sounds like! We jokingly called the big explosion at the end the “Mass Paffening,” and it was even listed on the shooting schedule. I unfortunately wasn’t able to be on set that day, and I was really disappointed to miss it. Everything about those explosions was done practically, with real effects.

We last talked when you’d just finished filming in Toronto. What stood out to you about the scene filmed in the church?

For my friend Ryan and me, writing this movie felt like stepping into our own Temple of Doom – that’s honestly how we approached it! When we got the chance to visit the set for a couple of weeks, right near the end of filming, we jumped at it. We’d been dreaming about this for six years, and our younger selves would have been blown away that we actually wrote a movie with its own Temple of Doom, complete with a goat pit and a creepy wedding! It was just incredibly fun. The amazing thing about working with Matt and Tyler is they somehow manage to pull ideas directly from my head. I don’t know how they do it, but what ends up on screen is almost exactly what I envisioned. It’s like we’re all connected on some level, and I feel so lucky to be part of this team. We’ve got more projects in the works, and we’re hoping to create something that really surprises and delights audiences.

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2026-03-27 02:12