SXSW 2026 red carpet interviews for Ready or Not 2: Here I Come, featuring Elijah Wood, Sarah Michelle Gellar, and more. [VIDEO]
The energy at SXSW 2026 was electric, especially when I found myself standing on the red carpet for one of the festival’s most anticipated world premieres: Ready or Not 2: Here I Come. Directed by the returning powerhouse duo Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, this sequel picks up moments after the explosive finale of the 2019 cult hit.
In this sequel, Grace (Samara Weaving) is thrust into an even more expansive and lethal game, forced to protect her estranged sister, Faith (Kathryn Newton), while being hunted by four rival elite families who belong to a secret, world-controlling council.
Mama’s Geeky caught up with the creative minds and stars behind Ready or Not 2 at SXSW 2026. The carpet was a whirlwind as I spoke with directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett about expanding the Radio Silence universe, and snagged some time with the film’s cast, including horror icon Sarah Michelle Gellar, Shawn Hatosy, and the legendary Elijah Wood. They teased a sequel that honors the original’s legacy while ramping up the unhinged carnage for a whole new set of rules.
Elijah Wood At The Ready or Not 2: Here I Come SXSW Premiere
One of the highlights of the night was speaking with Elijah Wood, who plays a mysterious new character – the lawyer for the devil. He shared how much he enjoyed the creative freedom that came with the role.
“It was a kind of a blank canvas because there’s not much known about him,” Wood told me. “Like, there’s no backstory. There’s no real sense of context to how he became the lawyer. He just is.”
He explained that this lack of a defined history allowed him to make unique choices on the fly to build the character’s identity. Wood even noted that some of his most memorable moments were improvised: “I was talking in an interview today and Matt and Tyler were like, when you did Hail Satan with your hands, I didn’t even, I just, it just came to me. So, there’s some things that just sort of happened in the process that became a part of the character”.
Make sure to watch our full video for the rest of these Ready or Not 2: Here I Come interviews! You can also check out our extensive coverage of other SXSW 2026 red carpets, including the neo-Western Normal starring Bob Odenkirk, the ballerina action-thriller Pretty Lethal, the musical comedy Power Ballad, and the dark comedy Over Your Dead Body.
