Sydney Sweeney’s ‘The Housemaid’ Sets New Box Office Benchmark for Lionsgate

Sydney Sweeney’s latest outing, The Housemaid, is making waves as it heads for what could be the strongest opening for Lionsgate this year. The film, helmed by Paul Feig and featuring Amanda Seyfried alongside Sweeney, is tipped to rake in between $20 and $25 million across 3,000 cinemas in its first weekend. With a production budget of $35 million, the numbers are looking promising for the studio.

Comparing the Competition

Mark Wahlberg’s Flight Risk previously managed $12 million from 3,161 North American venues during its debut weekend, while Ana de Armas’s Ballerina pulled in $24.5 million from 3,409 locations. Although Ballerina didn’t quite hit the mark expected, it still stood out as one of the better performers for Lionsgate this year. Now, all eyes are on Sweeney’s thriller to see if it can outdo both and claim the top spot for 2025.

Inside the Story and Reception

The plot follows Millie Calloway, played by Sweeney, who takes a job with the affluent Winchester family, only to stumble upon their unsettling secrets. Sweeney described the film as “juicy and delicious,” promising a rollercoaster of emotions for punters. She said,

If you want to be able to go and have a good time … you’re going to be screaming at the screen, you’re going to be laughing, you’re going to be crying. There’s so much that we give everybody. So, it’s a good emotional cleanse for yourself

Critics seem to agree with her take. After a strong showing in Christy earlier in the year, Sweeney’s performance in The Housemaid has earned her a Certified Fresh badge on Rotten Tomatoes, with a 78% rating. The consensus reads:

A sly throwback to the lurid thrillers that used to dominate multiplexes, The Housemaid cleans up nicely thanks to its wicked sense of fun and a delightfully unnerving performance from Amanda Seyfried

Audiences are also on board, giving the film a 90% score on the Popcornmeter, with one fan noting, “Great cast and beautiful cinematography. Good pacing with suspense along with some interesting twists.”

Author’s Take and Fan Response

Based on Freida McFadden’s 2022 novel, the film has even won over the author herself. McFadden shared on Instagram that she “absolutely LOVED it,” going so far as to say the adaptation might have outshone her own book. She wrote,

The second it was over, I turned to my husband in the theatre and said, ‘Omg, I think it was better than the book!’ (And he said, ‘Yeah.’)

With the film now screening in cinemas, locals are keen to see if Sweeney’s latest can live up to the hype and cement its place as one of the year’s most memorable releases.