A comeback sealed in theaters and at home
Sydney Sweeney has turned a rocky stretch into momentum with two mainstream hits that restored her box-office clout. After headlining and co-producing the 2023 romantic hit Anyone But You — which grossed more than $230 million worldwide — Sweeney followed up with the psychological thriller The Housemaid. The film not only enjoyed a stronger theatrical run than many expected but also opened on transactional streaming platforms to dominate digital rental charts, strengthening Sweeney’s profile as a dependable lead in glossy, crowd-pleasing entertainment.
Box office and digital performance, at a glance
The Housemaid recently crossed the $350 million global mark, a likely final milestone for its theatrical life. The breakdown:
- Global total: $350 million
- Domestic (U.S.): about $125 million
- International: about $225 million
On the home front, the film has been topping domestic iTunes and Amazon rental charts, according to FlixPatrol — a sign that audience interest has translated quickly from cinemas to paid streaming. That digital momentum also supports the already announced sequel.
Critical and audience reaction
The Housemaid has resonated strongly with general audiences while earning solid critical approval:
- Rotten Tomatoes critics score: 74% (“Certified Fresh”)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 92% (“Verified Hot”)
The site’s consensus frames the film as “a sly throwback to the lurid thrillers that used to dominate multiplexes,” praising its sense of fun and Amanda Seyfried’s unnerving turn. Those positive audience scores help explain the movie’s steady box-office legs and strong post-theatrical performance.
Where The Housemaid fits in Sweeney’s recent trajectory
Following Anyone But You, Sweeney’s film choices produced mixed results. She appeared in supporting roles in Madame Web, the ensemble survival drama Eden, the neo-Western Americana, and led the sports biopic Christy — projects that underperformed commercially. The horror Immaculate did modest business, but otherwise she endured a period of artistic risk-taking that didn’t always pay off financially.
Off screen, Sweeney remained a tabloid fixture, often discussed for her public persona and provocative branding. The Housemaid appears to have leaned into that image while delivering the crowd-pleasing thrills audiences responded to, helping reset her commercial momentum.
Creative team and cast highlights
- Director: Paul Feig
- Writers: Rebecca Sonnenshine, Freida McFadden
- Producers: Todd Lieberman, Paul Feig
- Principal cast: Sydney Sweeney (Millie Calloway), Amanda Seyfried (Nina Winchester), Brandon Sklenar, Michele Morrone
- Release date: December 19, 2025
- Runtime: 131 minutes
- Rating/Genre: R — Thriller/Mystery
Sweeney anchors the story as Millie, a woman who takes a job as a domestic worker for a wealthy couple and soon discovers dangerous secrets inside the household. Amanda Seyfried’s performance has been singled out by critics and audiences alike as a standout.
Streaming rollout and sequel prospects
After an especially successful theatrical window, The Housemaid moved to transactional streaming and quickly rose to the top of rental charts — a commercial pattern that often extends a film’s revenue life and cultural footprint. That strong cross-platform performance has helped justify and promote the film’s already announced sequel, though production and release details for follow-ups remain separate from the current picture’s promotional cycle.
What this means for Sweeney’s career
The Housemaid’s dual success in theaters and at-home rentals bolsters Sydney Sweeney’s viability as a leading box-office draw in mainstream genre fare. It suggests audiences prefer seeing her in highly produced, broadly accessible projects that trade on classic thriller beats and glossy production values. For Sweeney, the film offers renewed leverage — both creatively and commercially — as studios and producers consider her for future tentpole and franchise-adjacent roles.
Where to watch
The Housemaid is available in theaters and on transactional streaming platforms (rental/purchase). Its strong performance across both windows makes it one of the year’s more notable examples of a mid-budget thriller achieving sustained commercial success.