Could ‘Ready Or Not’ Be The Sleeper Horror Hit Of The Summer?

Disney and Fox Searchlight released the first red-band trailer for horror-comedy “Ready or Not” on Monday (seen above), and buzz is already abounding for the film’s Aug. 23 release. Based on the blend of bloody horror and a pitch-black comedic tone as well as the presence of rising genre star, Samara Weaving, horror fans seem ready to embrace the film with open arms. With this early buzz and a late summer release date where it won’t have to worry much about competition, “Ready or Not” could end up being one of the surprise hits of summer 2019.

In “Ready or Not,” Weaving plays a young bride on the cusp of marrying into a wealthy family when she is tasked with surviving an overnight game of hide and seek before she is accepted as a new member of the clan. Things go wrong quickly, as it becomes clear that the family are employing deadly weapons with the intention of killing her before the night is through.

With comedy mined from the family’s ineffectual use of deadly weaponry and unintended deaths, “Ready or Not” is clearly aiming for a much darker and cheekier shade of horror comedy than has been seen in a while. Fans online are buzzing about the film’s potential based in this trailer, with comparisons being made to “Clue” with Tim Curry and “You’re Next.”

“Ready or Not” hails from directing duo Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, who previously helmed the found-footage horror film “Devil’s Due” and a segment from the horror anthology collection, “V/H/S.” Starring alongside Weaving as members of her blood-thirsty would-be in-laws are Andie McDowell, Adam Brody and Mark O’Brien.

Weaving has been building something of a reputation as a comedic scream queen, having appeared in other horror comedies like “Mayhem” and “The Babysitter.” She also appeared in the Oscar-winning drama, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri,” and is slated to play Alex Winter’s daughter in the forthcoming “Bill & Ted Face the Music.”

Disney and Fox Searchlight will release “Ready or Not” on Aug. 23.