Ready or Not 2: Here I Come with Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett and Jorma Taccone (Ep. 608)

·32 min·3 clips

Directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett reveal how they bury real characters within the insane horror of Ready or Not 2.

This episode of The Director's Cut features directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett interviewed by fellow director Jorma Taccone following a screening of Ready or Not 2 at the DGA Theater in Los Angeles. The conversation begins with the directors explaining their filmmaking philosophy of placing grounded characters within absurd horror concepts. They discuss the sequel's development, which started immediately after the first film but took seven years due to the pandemic and other factors. The directors wanted to invert the first film's structure, starting with Grace at her lowest and ending with a twisted version of a wedding. They cast Katherine Newton as the sister after working with her on Abigail, finding her energy similar to Samara Weaving's. The shoot in Toronto was extremely challenging, with 10 company moves in 30 days and additional mini-moves, making it the hardest film they've ever made. Locations were scattered about an hour outside Toronto, including the Boyd Conservation area for woods scenes. The directors shot roughly chronologically except for exteriors saved until the end. They intentionally shot the most damaged character looks early to push action sequences harder, a technique they used on the first film. They learned from the first film to trust actors like Samara Weaving and embrace limitations, cutting pages to focus on characters rather than spectacle. Storyboarding is minimal; they prefer blocking with the DP and designing action on the day, especially for fights like the ballroom bride sequence. Humor is often added on set through improvisation and actor contributions, but they also shoot separate comedy and horror versions to control tone in the edit. A key sequence crosscutting a absurd bride fight with a cruel hallway fight required careful calibration to maintain audience engagement. They had little rehearsal time, only a vibe check for the ensemble club room scene. Actor Sean Haddisey surprised them with his intense performance as Titus, bringing goofiness early then shifting to seriousness. Music played a significant role, with Amy Winehouse and Total Eclipse songs returning from the first film, now affordable. The directors emphasize treating ridiculous concepts with serious craft, allowing for inventive action and earnest emotion. The episode concludes with a lighthearted discussion of sound effects, including a controversial keyboard note and a hidden fart in Taccone's film.

As heard by us

A sequel discussion that digs into action, humor, and how the ballroom fight came together.

Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett use this DGA conversation on Ready or Not 2, Here I Come to frame a sequel that keeps Grace, the lone survivor of the first film, inside the next round of the nightmare game, now with her sister along for the ride.

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Why you'd press play

For when a horror-comedy sequel keeps the absurdity high but the characters grounded.

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