- Release Date
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December 19, 2025
- Runtime
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131 Minutes
- Director
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Paul Feig
Sydney Sweeney: From Superhero Flop to Box Office Hit
Los Angeles, December 28, 2025 — Sydney Sweeney is having a moment. The erotic thriller The Housemaid, starring Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried, has already surpassed its $35 million production budget and is currently enjoying a strong run in the domestic box office, earning $46 million as of this week.
Sweeney Reverses Box Office Fortune
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The Housemaid’s success is particularly notable given Sweeney’s recent string of underperforming films. Prior to this, she had appeared in five consecutive box office disappointments. However, The Housemaid quickly began to change that narrative, overtaking four of those films in its opening weekend, and now the final one as well.
A Win Against the Odds
The film’s financial triumph also means it has outperformed the 2024 superhero film Madame Web, where Sweeney had a supporting role. Madame Web, starring Dakota Johnson and Isabela Merced, grossed approximately $43 million domestically and $100 million worldwide, despite a reported $80 million budget and widespread critical derision. The failure of Madame Web, along with the subsequent underperformance of Kraven the Hunter, effectively stalled Sony’s Spider-Man Universe.
Sweeney’s other recent films—Immaculate, Americana, Christy, and Eden—also failed to resonate with audiences.
Critical Acclaim Sets It Apart
Unlike Madame Web, which holds a dismal 10% score on Rotten Tomatoes, The Housemaid has been met with critical acclaim. Directed by Paul Feig, the film boasts a “certified fresh” 75% critics’ score and a “verified hot” 92% audience score on the review aggregator. Critics have praised the film as a “sly throwback to the lurid thrillers that used to dominate multiplexes,” highlighting Amanda Seyfried’s “delightfully unnerving performance.”
The Housemaid has already surpassed the box office totals of classic erotic thrillers like Body Heat, Original Sin, and the more recent Babygirl. The film also stars Brandon Sklenar and Michele Morrone and is currently playing in theaters.
- The Housemaid has earned $46 million domestically, exceeding its $35 million budget.
- The film marks a turning point in Sydney Sweeney’s box office performance after a series of flops.
- The Housemaid has outperformed the critically panned superhero film Madame Web.
- The film has received positive reviews, with a 75% critics’ score and 92% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Is The Housemaid a sign of a resurgence for Sydney Sweeney’s career? The film’s success suggests a strong audience appetite for well-executed thrillers and a continued draw for Sweeney as a leading actress.