A wedding night ritual turns deadly in the 2019 horror hit Ready or Not
In short: When Grace marries into the wealthy Le Domas family, she expects a lavish wedding. Instead, she is forced into a lethal game of hide-and-seek. This darkly comedic horror film subverts genre tropes, blending sharp social commentary on inherited privilege with a visceral, high-stakes fight for survival until dawn.
Directed by the Radio Silence collective—Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett—Ready or Not follows Grace, played by Samara Weaving, as she discovers her new in-laws are bound by a sinister pact. The Le Domas family fortune was built by patriarch Victor Le Domas, who struck a deal with a mysterious entity named Le Bail. To maintain their wealth, every new family member must draw a card from a puzzle box on their wedding night. When Grace draws 'Hide-and-Seek,' the family must hunt and sacrifice her before sunrise, or face a gruesome, explosive death themselves.
The film, which premiered at the Fantasia International Film Festival in July 2019, was praised for its ability to balance genuine horror with biting satire. Critics noted its subversion of traditional tropes, with reviewers like David Sims of The Atlantic highlighting its portrait of 'fumbling arrogance and curdled privilege.' Despite a modest $6 million budget, the film became a commercial success, grossing $57.6 million worldwide and securing a place as a cult favorite that found renewed popularity on Netflix in 2024.
The production was a collaborative effort, filmed in late 2018 across various locations in Ontario, Canada, including the historic Casa Loma. The film's success led to the development of a sequel, Ready or Not 2: Here I Come, which was officially announced in 2025. With Samara Weaving set to reprise her role and the original directors returning, the franchise continues to explore the dark, chaotic consequences of the Le Domas family curse.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Ready or Not (2019 film)
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