The horror genre has been thriving for years now, with fans like myself enjoying the renaissance. While we've seen some of the best horror movies return to theaters with new sequels, there have also been some killer original IPs. Case in point: filmmaking duo Tyler Gillet and Matt Bettinelli-Olpin brought both Ready or Not and the recent horror flick Abigail to theaters. I finally saw the latter movie in theater, and I need the Radio Silence team to make a horror cinematic universe ASAP.
Abigial's reviews have been positive, with critics praising the mix of comedy and gory horror. And the movie felt super connected to Ready or Not, as they're both set in a mansion and feature characters exploding in a bloody fashion. It's for this reason that I'd love to see these worlds collide, maybe with Samara Weaving and Melissa Barrera's characters coming face to face in a crossover. Fingers crossed.
The trailer for Abigail revealed that the title character was a vampire, but I didn't expect her limbs to literally explode from exposure to sunlight. That effect really harkened back to the ending of Ready or Not, where the villainous Le Domases family suffered the same fate after failing to kill Grace. So why not bring these burgeoning franchises together in an upcoming horror movie?
What have Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett said about a connection between the movies?
Funny enough, the films' directors have already made a connection between the two, via a subtle easter egg in Abigail. As Gillett and Bettinelli-Olpin told Collider, there's a portrait in the Abigail house of the "great, great, great, great grandfather" of Henry Czerny's Tony Le Domas from Ready or Not. And just like that, they seem to be occupying the same universe. Well, sort of.
This easter egg could be just that: a fun way for the team at Radio Silence to reference their previous film. But with the horror genre continually proving itself profitable and shared universes being so common in entertainment, it doesn't seem like a totally impossible idea.
While Tyler Gillett and Matt Bettinelli-Olpin are staying on as executive producers, they stepped down from directing Scream 7. As such, perhaps their schedule could allow for more horror movies connected to Ready or Not and Abigail. But fans of that franchise shouldn't fear, as OG writer Kevin Williamson is behind the camera. So all things Ghostface are in very good hands.
I'm going to keep hoping for Ready Silence's own horror universe, even if it's just something I made up in my head. In reality I'll keep watching anything that Gillett and Bettinelli-Olpin put out there. Although I have a suspicion that more people might be exploding into a bloody mess. It's like their signature kill move at this point, right?
Abigail is in theaters now. Be sure to check the 2024 movie release dates to plan your next trip tot he theater.
