Examine individual changes

'{{Short description|2021 American psychological horror film}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}} {{Use American English|date=July 2021}} {{Infobox film | name = Escape Room: Tournament of Champions | image = Escape Room Tournament of Champions Movie Poster.jpg | caption = Theatrical release poster | director = [[Adam Robitel]] | producer = [[Neal H. Moritz]] | screenplay = {{Plainlist| * Will Honley * Maria Melnik * Daniel Tuch * [[Oren Uziel]] }} | story = {{Plainlist| * Christine Lavaf * Fritz Bohm }} | based_on = {{Based on|Characters|Bragi F. Schut}} | starring = {{Plainlist| * [[Taylor Russell]] * [[Logan Miller]] }} | music = {{Plainlist| * [[Brian Tyler]] * John Carey }} | cinematography = Marc Spicer | editing = {{Plainlist| * Steven Mirkovich * Peter Pav }} | studio = {{Plainlist| * [[Columbia Pictures]] * [[Original Film]] }} | distributor = [[Sony Pictures Releasing]] | released = {{Film date|2021|07|01|Australia|2021|07|16|United States}} | runtime = 88 minutes | country = United States | language = English | budget = $15{{nbsp}}million<ref name="DeadlineProj" /> | gross = $65.8{{nbsp}}million<ref name="BOM">{{cite Box Office Mojo |id=9844522 |title=Escape Room: Tournament of Champions (2021) |website=[[Box Office Mojo]] |access-date=February 27, 2022}}</ref> }} '''''Escape Room: Tournament of Champions''''' (released in some markets as '''''Escape Room: No Way Out''''' and '''''Escape Room 2: Deadly Game''''') is a 2021 American [[Survival film|survival]] [[Horror film|horror]] film directed by [[Adam Robitel]] and written by Will Honley, Maria Melnik, Daniel Tuch, and [[Oren Uziel]]. A sequel to 2019's ''[[Escape Room (2019 film)|Escape Room]]'', it stars [[Taylor Russell]], [[Logan Miller]], and [[Deborah Ann Woll]] reprising their roles from the first film, alongside new cast members [[Indya Moore]], [[Holland Roden]], [[Thomas Cocquerel]], and [[Carlito Olivero]], and follows a group of six people trying to survive a new series of more deadly escape rooms. After the first film became a surprise hit in 2019, [[Columbia Pictures]] approved a sequel. Robitel returned as the director with Melnik writing the script, and Russell and Miller reprised their roles alongside the addition of new cast members. Filming took place in [[Cape Town]], South Africa, from November 2019 to January 2020, with additional filming in January 2021.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Jordan |first1=Waylon |title=Escape Room 2' Has Officially Wrapped Filming in South Africa |url=https://www.ihorror.com/escape-room-2-has-officially-wrapped-filming-in-south-africa/ |website=ihorror.com |date=January 27, 2020 |access-date=January 27, 2020}}</ref> ''Escape Room: Tournament of Champions'' was theatrically released in Australia on July 1, 2021, and in the United States on July 16, by [[Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group#Sony Pictures Releasing|Sony Pictures Releasing]], following several delays due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]]. The film grossed $66{{nbsp}}million and received mixed reviews from critics, who praised its cast, atmosphere, and elaborate puzzles, but noted the film's failure to improve upon its predecessor. An "extended cut" version was released the following October 5, featuring a different opening and ending, as well as large differences in the story and characters featured; Woll is notably completely absent from the new version, while [[Isabelle Fuhrman]] and [[James Frain]] both appear as new key characters. ==Plot== After escaping the "sole survivor" [[escape room]]s orchestrated by the Minos Corporation, Zoey Davis and Ben Miller decide to confront the shadowy organization after finding coordinates to its New York City–based headquarters. Zoey is encouraged by her therapist to move on from her trauma and to get over her [[Fear of flying|aerophobia]], but she opts to drive with Ben instead of flying. The pair find the headquarters derelict and are accosted by a vagrant who steals Zoey's necklace. She and Ben give chase straight into the [[Q (New York City Subway service)|Q subway train]]. Their train car separates from the rest of the train and is redirected to a remote station, sealing Zoey, Ben, and other passengers Rachel, Brianna, Nathan, and Theo inside. As the passengers realize in horror that they are once again in Minos' deadly game, the train becomes electrified. Zoey and Ben learn that the others are the "winners" of previous escape rooms, having survived them. To escape, the group must collect subway tokens as the electrification increases. Theo is killed while the rest escape. Nathan reveals his escape room group were all priests, Brianna's were all [[Internet celebrity|influencers]], and Rachel's consisted of people who cannot feel physical pain. The next room is a bank with a slowly closing vault and a deadly laser security system. The group manages to decipher the complex route to get around the lasers and escape with just seconds to spare. While in the room, Zoey is perplexed by frequent references to someone called Sonya and that the escape rooms have no apparent connection to the group unlike before. The next room is a postcard-like beach with more references to Sonya. They discover that the beach is covered in [[quicksand]]. While Rachel is sinking, Nathan sacrifices himself to save Rachel and is swallowed up by the sand. Zoey finds an alternate route out just as Brianna unlocks the intended exit. An argument on which route to take breaks out; Rachel and Ben side with Zoey. Brianna escapes through the main exit while Rachel and Zoey traverse to the alternate route, but Ben falls into the quicksand. Zoey and Rachel make their way out through a manhole back into the city. Overjoyed at first that they are outside, they quickly realize they are still in the game when they encounter a panicked Brianna. If they do not make it out of this room, [[acid rain]] is periodically sprayed on them. The group opens a taxi to escape into but once Zoey enters, the taxi locks Rachel and Brianna out. Zoey falls into the next room while Rachel and Brianna die in the rain. The next room is a child's bedroom containing a diary from Sonya, revealing the rooms are based on a fun day out she had with her mother. Zoey discovers Sonya's mother is Amanda Harper, who survived her fall in her original escape room{{Efn|As depicted in [[Escape Room (2019 film)|Escape Room (2019)]]}} and was forced into designing escape rooms for Minos after they abducted her daughter. Amanda appears and begs Zoey to become the next puzzle-maker for Minos, warning that she has no choice. Ben is revealed to be trapped in a cage. When Zoey refuses Minos' demand, Ben's cage starts filling with water, but Zoey and Amanda work together to free him. They manage to break out, fleeing the facility. They report their findings to the police, who retrieve the bodies of Rachel, Brianna, Nathan, and Theo; the news about Minos goes public. An FBI agent assures Zoey that Minos will be tracked down. Filled with confidence, Zoey decides to take a plane home with Ben. Onboard, she sees a woman who resembles her therapist, and then realizes she is in another escape room. The distorted voice of Minos' leader mocks Zoey and Ben for falling into their latest trap as the plane begins to fall and gas fills the cabin. ==Cast== [[File:Taylor Russell by Gage Skidmore.jpg|thumb|upright=0.68|[[Taylor Russell]], one of the leads of the film]] * [[Taylor Russell]] as Zoey Davis<ref name="initial-cast" /> * [[Logan Miller]] as Ben Miller<ref name="initial-cast" /> * [[Deborah Ann Woll]]{{efn|Woll only appears in the theatrical cut, with her character being absent in the alternate version.}} as Amanda Harper * [[Holland Roden]]<ref name="roden-et-al" /> as Rachel Ellis<ref name="gr" /> * [[Indya Moore]]<ref name="roden-et-al" /> as Brianna Collier<ref name="gr">{{cite web |last1=Lambros |first1=Stephen |title=There's No Way Out Of The ''Escape Room: Tournament Of Champions'' Trailer |url=https://gamerant.com/escape-room-tournament-champions-trailer/ |website=GameRant |access-date=June 10, 2021 |date=May 26, 2021}}</ref> * [[Thomas Cocquerel]]<ref name="roden-et-al" /> as Nathan<ref name="gr" /> * [[Carlito Olivero]]<ref name="roden-et-al" /> as Theo [[Isabelle Fuhrman]] and [[James Frain]] appear in the film's alternate version as Claire and Henry, respectively, in a plotline revealing the puzzle maker's story. [[Tanya van Graan]] makes an uncredited appearance as Sonya, who is Henry's wife and Claire's mother in this cut.<ref name="EXC">{{cite web|url=https://bloody-disgusting.com/home-video/3682639/escape-room-tournament-champions-comes-home-month-longer-alternate-cut/|title='Escape Room: Tournament of Champions' Comes Home This Month With a Longer "Alternate Cut"|first=John|last=Squires|work=Bloody Disgusting|date=September 10, 2021|access-date=September 12, 2021}}</ref> Additionally, Lucy Newman-Williams appears as Zoey's therapist and Scott Coker portrays an FBI agent in the theatrical cut. Matt Esof portrays the vagrant who lures Zoey and Ben into Minos' trap in both versions. [[Jay Ellis]], [[Tyler Labine]], and [[Nik Dodani]] also appear as Jason Walker, Mike Nolan, and Danny Khan in flashbacks of the first film. ==Production== ===Development=== In February 2019, a sequel to ''Escape Room'' was announced as being in active development, with [[Adam Robitel]] set to return to direct along with screenwriter Bragi F. Schut and producer [[Neal H. Moritz]].<ref name="bloody-disgusting.com">{{cite web |last1=Topel |first1=Fred |title=''Escape Room'' Director Talks Sequel Rooms, Mythology and Returning Stars |url=https://bloody-disgusting.com/interviews/3556767/escape-room-director-talks-sequel-rooms-mythology-and-returning-stars-exclusive/ |website=[[Bloody Disgusting]] |access-date=February 12, 2021 |date=April 19, 2019 |archive-date=April 20, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190420133710/https://bloody-disgusting.com/interviews/3556767/escape-room-director-talks-sequel-rooms-mythology-and-returning-stars-exclusive/ |url-status=live}}</ref> In April 2019, Robitel stated in an interview with ''[[Bloody Disgusting]]'' that one of the challenges the production team faced in its development was to figure out how to design new escape rooms that would outdo those the original film featured. He said: {{blockquote|We did fire, gravity, ice, cold, gas so we need to outdo ourselves now. We're in the box. I can't [[draw and quarter]] somebody, so what are those visual ticking clocks? We have some cool stuff we're developing and hopefully, the audience will think that way too, but it's tougher.<ref name="bloody-disgusting.com" />}} He continued, "We're knee deep in developing the sequel. We're exploring various ideas with how it all plays out."<ref name="bloody-disgusting.com" /> He intended the first film's final scene, which depicted an escape room disguised as a hijacked airplane, to suggest that Minos, the organization behind the deadly escape rooms, may be more powerful, sinister and given to surveilling than previously thought, which he planned to expand upon in the sequel.<ref name="bloody-disgusting.com" /> He said: {{blockquote|I think the implication is that Minos is far more widespread in the halls of power in our society than we realize. [. . .] I think we're in a time of real paranoia, whether it's institutions or the police state. We've never been in a time of such divisiveness as a culture, so we always love the idea.<ref name="bloody-disgusting.com" />}} The film's official title, ''Escape Room: Tournament of Champions'', was announced in a press conference on May 20, 2021.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mendelson |first=Scott |date=May 20, 2021 |title=Box Office: Can The Multiplex Survive With A 45-Day Theatrical Window? |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/scottmendelson/2021/05/20/box-office-can-movie-theaters-survive-with-a-45-day-theatrical-window/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210522162613/https://www.forbes.com/sites/scottmendelson/2021/05/20/box-office-can-movie-theaters-survive-with-a-45-day-theatrical-window/ |archive-date=May 22, 2021 |access-date=May 22, 2021 |website=[[Forbes]]}}</ref> ===Casting=== In October 2019, [[Collider (website)|Collider]] reported that [[Isabelle Fuhrman]] had joined the cast, alongside returning cast members [[Taylor Russell]] and [[Logan Miller]].<ref name="initial-cast">{{cite news |url=https://collider.com/isabelle-fuhrman-taylor-russell-escape-room-2-cast/ |title=Exclusive: Isabelle Fuhrman Joins Taylor Russell, Logan Miller in ''Escape Room 2'' |website=Collider |first=Jeff |last=Sneider |date=October 3, 2019 |access-date=November 3, 2019 |archive-date=January 9, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200109051051/https://collider.com/isabelle-fuhrman-taylor-russell-escape-room-2-cast/ |url-status=live}}</ref> Later that month, [[Holland Roden]], [[Thomas Cocquerel]], [[Indya Moore]], and [[Carlito Olivero]] also joined the cast.<ref name="roden-et-al">{{cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2019/10/escape-room-2-holland-roden-indya-moore-cast-sony-sequel-1202763263/ |first=Amanda |last=N'Duka |title=''Escape Room 2'': Sony Sets Lead Cast for Sequel |date=October 18, 2019 |access-date=December 21, 2019 |work=[[Deadline Hollywood]] |archive-date=December 28, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191228031250/https://deadline.com/2019/10/escape-room-2-holland-roden-indya-moore-cast-sony-sequel-1202763263/ |url-status=live}}</ref> ==Release== ===Theatrical=== The film was originally scheduled to be released on April 17, 2020.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://deadline.com/2019/02/escape-room-2-movie-in-development-sony-deborah-ann-woll-1202565184/ |title=''Escape Room 2'' Construction Underway At Sony For 2020 Bow – Update |website=[[Deadline Hollywood]] |first=Anthony |last=D'Alessandro |date=February 25, 2019 |access-date=February 25, 2019 |archive-date=November 22, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191122083509/https://deadline.com/2019/02/escape-room-2-movie-in-development-sony-deborah-ann-woll-1202565184/ |url-status=live}}</ref> Its release date was subsequently changed several times,<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.slashfilm.com/top-gun-maverick-release-date-change/ |title=Paramount Feels the Need For Speed and Moves Up 'Top Gun: Maverick' Release Date; ''Escape Room 2'' Delayed Until December |date=March 2, 2020 |website=[[/Film]] |first=Ben |last=Pearson |access-date=April 14, 2020 |archive-date=April 22, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200422021108/https://www.slashfilm.com/top-gun-maverick-release-date-change/ |url-status=live}}</ref> and in May 2020, it was scheduled to be released on January 1, 2021.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Everything We Know So Far About Escape Room 2 |url=https://screenrant.com/escape-room-2-movie-updates-release-date-story-info/ |last=Kennedy |first=Michael |date=April 25, 2020 |website=[[Screen Rant]] |access-date=May 2, 2020 |archive-date=April 6, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200406171111/https://screenrant.com/escape-room-2-movie-updates-release-date-story-info/ |url-status=live}}</ref> In October 2020, Sony moved the film to sometime later in 2021.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2020/11/monster-hunter-release-date-change-milla-jovovich-1234591362/ |title=''Monster Hunter'' Officially Dated Stateside For December; ''Escape Room 2'' Flees To 2021 – Update |website=[[Deadline Hollywood]] |first1=Nancy |last1=Tartaglione |first2=Anthony |last2=D'Alessandro |date=October 5, 2020 |access-date=October 5, 2020 |archive-date=October 5, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201005195050/https://deadline.com/2020/10/monster-hunter-release-date-change-milla-jovovich-1234591362/ |url-status=live}}</ref> In January 2021, it was announced that the film's release date would be pushed back again, to January 7, 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |last=D'Alessandro |first=Anthony |date=January 26, 2021 |title=''Escape Room 2'' To Open Doors In Early 2022 |url=https://deadline.com/2021/04/escape-room-2-2022-release-date-1234680330/ |access-date=January 26, 2021 |website=[[Deadline Hollywood]] |archive-date=January 26, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126055826/https://deadline.com/2021/01/escape-room-2-2022-release-date-1234680330/ |url-status=live}}</ref> The film was later moved up to July 16, 2021.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2021/04/escape-room-2-2022-release-date-1234680330/ |title=Sony Moves Up ''Escape Room 2'' To Summer, Lands On Same Date As Studio's ''Cinderella'' |date=April 26, 2021 |first=Anthony |last=D'Alessandro |website=[[Deadline Hollywood]] |access-date=April 27, 2021 |archive-date=April 27, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210427020729/https://deadline.com/2021/04/escape-room-2-2022-release-date-1234680330/ |url-status=live}}</ref> The film was first released in Australia on July 1, 2021.<ref>{{cite web |title=Escape Room: Tournament of Champions |url=https://www.flicks.com.au/movie/escape-room-tournament-of-champions/ |work=Flicks.com.au |access-date=June 19, 2021}}</ref> ===Streaming=== When asked about whether the film would also be available to [[streaming media|stream]] at the same time it was released to theaters to accommodate those [[Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cinema|uncertain of the safety of in-theater attendance due to the]] [[COVID-19 pandemic]], Robitel stated that the film will pursue a standard theatrical release with no streaming alternative because he believes that the darkness of the standard theater room would allow the film to be at its most frightening and thrilling.<ref>{{cite web |last=O'Connell |first=Sean |title=Escape Room 2 Reveals New Title, Official Plot And Exclusive First-Look Images |url=https://www.cinemablend.com/news/2567884/escape-room-2-reveals-new-title-official-plot-and-exclusive-first-look-images |website=CinemaBlend |access-date=June 17, 2021 |date=May 24, 2021}}</ref> ===Home media=== ''Escape Room: Tournament of Champions'' was released digitally on September 21 and was released on Blu-ray and DVD on October 5, 2021, by [[Sony Pictures Home Entertainment]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Vito Odo |first1=Marco |title='Escape Room 2' Blu-ray Release Will Include Alternate Ending and Extended Cut |url=https://collider.com/escape-room-2-4k-blu-ray-release-date-details-bonus-content/ |website=Collider |date=September 14, 2021 |access-date=September 14, 2021}}</ref> The video edition will contain an extended and alternative version of the film with a new plot and characters and a different ending.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://gizmodo.com/escape-room-2-has-an-extended-cut-thatll-change-the-fra-1847652043|title=Escape Room 2 Has an Extended Cut That'll Change the Franchise|first=Germain|last=Lussier|work=Gizmodo|date=September 11, 2021|access-date=September 12, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://comicbook.com/horror/news/escape-room-tournament-of-champions-getting-alternate-home-video-cut/|title=Escape Room: Tournament of Champions Getting "Alternate" Home Video Cut|first=Jamie|last=Jirak|work=Comic Book|date=September 11, 2021|access-date=September 12, 2021}}</ref><ref name="EXC" /> ====Extended cut==== Prior to release, the extended cut of the film was reported to feature 25 minutes of new footage; however, upon release it was discovered that the runtime of the film was only six minutes longer than the theatrical cut. The extended version of the film largely reshapes the plot of the film, entirely removing [[Deborah Ann Woll|Deborah Ann Woll's]] character from the film. [[Isabelle Fuhrman]] and [[James Frain]] instead appear as Claire and Henry, respectively, who reveal more about Minos' inner workings behind the scenes. This large change in narrative has led critics to wonder how future installments of the franchise will be affected by these "incompatible" plotlines.<ref>{{Cite web |date=September 24, 2021 |title='Escape Room 2' Extended Cut Is Basically a Whole New Movie |url=https://www.thewrap.com/escape-room-2-tournament-of-champions-extended-cut-differences/ |access-date=March 7, 2022 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Escape Room 2 Has an Extended Cut That'll Change the Franchise |url=https://gizmodo.com/escape-room-2-has-an-extended-cut-thatll-change-the-fra-1847652043 |access-date=March 7, 2022 |website=Gizmodo |date=September 10, 2021 |language=en-us}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=October 25, 2021 |title=Why The Extended Cut Of 'Escape Room 2' Is Superior [Blu Review] |url=https://www.queerhorrormovies.com/escape-room-2-extended-cut-blu-review/ |access-date=March 7, 2022 |website=Queer.Horror.Movies |language=en-US}}</ref> ====Extended cut opening and ending==== In the extended cut, the film opens with Henry, revealed to be a designer of the escape rooms. When his wife Sonya threatens to divorce him and take their daughter Claire with her, she ends up trapped in the sauna when it turns into an escape room. However, she does not solve it in time to escape and is killed. Later in the film, when there is a malfunction during the Acid Rain room's transition, Zoey is taken to a department of Minos where she meets Claire, who turns out to be the actual puzzle maker. Claire has been locked up in a room by her father, who is one of the higher-ups in Minos and who has forced her to create elaborate escape rooms after which he has taken all of the credit. Claire begs Zoey to help her get out of the room. Up until that point Zoey has been hesitant, until it is revealed Ben has been saved by Claire who created a secret compartment under the quicksand for him to fall into. However, Ben is found by Henry's men and thrown into the final room: a sauna. With Zoey's help Claire manages to break out and is then met by her father. Zoey and Claire succeed in fighting Claire's father off and they save Ben. Claire locks the Minos employees inside the control room, and suggests Zoey report her findings to the police. After Zoey escapes to the original location where she finds Ben in an ambulance, it is revealed that Claire was the mastermind all along. When she was younger, she tried to be as bad as possible in an attempt to see if her parents truly loved her as she is. When her mother Sonya said that she was getting her help by sending her away, Claire murdered her in the sauna. Claire ultimately traps her father in her old room and kills him. ==Reception== ===Box office=== ''Escape Room: Tournament of Champions'' grossed $25.3{{nbsp}}million in the United States and Canada, and $40.7{{nbsp}}million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $66{{nbsp}}million.<ref name="BOM" /><ref name="NUM">{{Cite The Numbers |title=Escape Room: Tournament of Champions |id=Escape-Room-Tournament-of-Champions-(2021) |access-date=August 22, 2021}}</ref> In the United States and Canada, the film was released alongside ''[[Space Jam: A New Legacy]]'', ''[[Pig (2021 film)|Pig]]'', and ''[[Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain]]'', and was projected to gross $7–10{{nbsp}}million from 2,775 theaters in its opening weekend.<ref name="DeadlineProj">{{cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2021/07/black-widow-monday-box-office-second-weekend-1234792134/ |title=''Black Widow'' Posts Best Non-Holiday Monday During Pandemic At Domestic Box Office; Second Weekend Eyed At $24M |date=July 13, 2021 |first=Anthony |last=D'Alessandro |website=[[Deadline Hollywood]] |access-date=July 13, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://variety.com/2021/film/news/space-jam-2-box-office-black-widow-1235019046/ |title=''Space Jam: A New Legacy'' Takes on ''Black Widow'' at the Box Office |date=July 14, 2021 |first=Rebecca |last=Rubin |website=Variety |access-date=July 14, 2021}}</ref> The film made $3.8{{nbsp}}million on its first day, including $1.2{{nbsp}}million from Thursday night previews. It went on to debut to $8.8{{nbsp}}million, finishing third at the box office.<ref name="opening">{{Cite web |last=D'Alessandro |first=Anthony |date=July 18, 2021 |title='Space Jam: A New Legacy' Steals Ball Away From 'Black Widow' With $31M Opening, Best For Family Pic & WB During Pandemic |url=https://deadline.com/2021/07/space-jam-a-new-legacy-black-widow-weekend-box-office-1234794982/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210718194000/https://deadline.com/2021/07/space-jam-a-new-legacy-black-widow-weekend-box-office-1234794982/ |archive-date=July 18, 2021 |access-date=July 21, 2021 |website=[[Deadline Hollywood]]}}</ref> It fell 60 percent in its second weekend to $3.5{{nbsp}}million, finishing sixth.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://deadline.com/2021/07/snake-eyes-old-m-night-shyamalan-weekend-box-office-1234798883/ |title= Box Office Drops With 'Old', 'Snake Eyes', 'Black Widow' & 'Space Jam 2': But Is Delta Variant Or Dynamic Windows To Blame? |date=July 25, 2021 |first=Anthony |last=D'Alessandro |website=[[Deadline Hollywood]] |access-date=July 24, 2021}}</ref> ===Critical response=== On [[Rotten Tomatoes]], the film holds an approval rating of 51% based on 80 reviews, with an average rating of 5.4/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "''Escape Room: Tournament of Champions'' may appeal to fans of the original who've been hoping for a sequel, but its increasingly convoluted rules add up to a very unpleasant game night."<ref>{{Cite Rotten Tomatoes |id=escape_room_tournament_of_champions |type=movie |title=Escape Room: Tournament of Champions (2021) |access-date=July 22, 2024}}</ref> On [[Metacritic]], the film holds a weighted average score of 48 out of 100 based on review from 17 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".<ref>{{Cite Metacritic |id=escape-room-tournament-of-champions |type=movie |title=Escape Room: Tournament of Champions Reviews |access-date=July 22, 2024}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Audiences polled by [[CinemaScore]] gave the film an average grade of "B" on an A to F scale, the same as the first film, while [[PostTrak]] reported 69% of audience members gave it a positive score, with 44% saying they would definitely recommend it.<ref name="opening" /> William Bibbiani of the ''[[TheWrap]]'' wrote: "Make no mistake: ''Escape Room: Tournament of Champions'' may be fun, it's also incredibly stupid. The premise makes no sense. The mechanics make no sense. The plot makes no sense. Look elsewhere for storytelling sanity. Look here if you want to see confident, creepy absurdity, with a ghoulish imagination and showmanship to spare."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.thewrap.com/escape-room-tournament-of-champions-review-2-sequel/ |title=''Escape Room 2'' Review: Exciting, Illogical Sequel Sets New Elaborate Traps |website=[[TheWrap]] |last=Bibbiani |first=William |date=July 14, 2021 |access-date= July 15, 2021}}</ref> Jesse Hassenger of ''[[The A.V. Club]]'' gave the film a "C ", writing: "After 30 or 40 minutes, it becomes clear that, despite a few more callbacks, this is a more-of-the-same sequel, not a next-level sequel."<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 14, 2021 |first=Jesse |last=Hassenger |title=Tournament Of Champions fails to take Escape Room to the next level |url=https://www.avclub.com/tournament-of-champions-fails-to-take-escape-room-to-th-1847288002 |access-date= July 14, 2021 |website=[[The A.V. Club]]}}</ref> From ''[[The Hollywood Reporter]]'', John DeFore called the film an "underwhelming attempt to turn a tight little thriller into a sequel-spawning franchise" and said: "''Tournament'' provides genre buffs with a lesson in diminishing returns, and may leave most of them impatient for an unambiguous 'Game Over.'"<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/escape-room-tournament-of-champions-film-1234981926/ |title=Escape Room: Tournament of Champions': Film Review |date=July 14, 2021 |first=John |last=DeFore |website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |access-date=July 15, 2021}}</ref> ==Possible sequel== When asked whether there would be a third ''Escape Room'' film that would continue from ''Champions{{'}}'' [[cliffhanger]] ending, Robitel replied that it could be made if ''Champions'' generates a good box office run and sufficient interest in a continuation of its story.<ref>{{cite web |last1=McGrew |first1=Shannon |title=[Interview] Adam Robitel for ESCAPE ROOM: TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS |url=https://www.nightmarishconjurings.com/2021/07/15/interview-adam-robitel-for-escape-room-tournament-of-champions/ |website=Nightmarish Conjurings |access-date=December 1, 2021 |date=July 15, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Shaw-Williams |first1=Hannah |title=Escape Room 3 News & Updates: Everything We Know |url=https://screenrant.com/escape-room-3-movie-story-release-date-cast/ |website=[[Screen Rant]] |access-date=December 1, 2021 |date=July 15, 2021}}</ref> ==Notes== {{notelist}} ==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== * {{Official website}} * {{IMDb title}} {{Adam Robitel}} [[Category:2021 horror films]] [[Category:2021 films]] [[Category:2021 horror thriller films]] [[Category:2020s English-language films]] [[Category:2020s psychological horror films]] [[Category:American horror thriller films]] [[Category:American psychological horror films]] [[Category:Columbia Pictures films]] [[Category:Films about death games]] [[Category:Films postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic]] [[Category:Films produced by Neal H. Moritz]] [[Category:Films scored by Brian Tyler]] [[Category:Films set in 2003]] [[Category:Films set in 2021]] [[Category:Films set in Chicago]] [[Category:Films set in New York City]] [[Category:Films shot in Budapest]] [[Category:Films shot in the Western Cape]] [[Category:Films with screenplays by Oren Uziel]] [[Category:Original Film films]] [[Category:2020s American films]] [[Category:English-language horror thriller films]]'