Sydney Sweeney’s success can’t be stopped. Especially when it comes to her successful steamy thriller, The Housemaid.
Almost a year after its December 2025 debut, The Housemaid continues its domination. The movie was a huge commercial success, turning into Sweeney’s highest-grossing release ever. After breaking records on streaming on Starz, The Housemaid’s new target is now HBO Max, where it’s officially dominating the charts, per FlixPatrol.
The Housemaid premiered on streaming on Starz in April this year, where it enjoyed a six-month exclusive Pay 1 window. On Oct. 9, The Housemaid made its way to HBO Max, where it’s now conquering a new market. The steamy psychological thriller didn’t take long to find success and dethroned Backrooms as the most-watched film on HBO Max in the U.S.
The Housemaid Is a Successful Adaptation
Sydney Sweeney holding a match in The HousemaidImage via Lionsgate
Sydney Sweeney has been working since 2009, with appearances in supporting roles in different TV shows like 90210, Criminal Minds, Grey’s Anatomy, and Pretty Little Liars, as well as The Handmaid’s Tale. One of her bigger roles in HBO’s limited series Sharp Objects, where she starred alongside Amy Adams, before her breakout role as Cassie Howard in HBO’s Euphoria.
Since Euphoria, Sweeney has become a household name and has collaborated with multiple high-profile artists in the industry, although few of her films have made an impact. 2025’s The Housemaid fully cemented Sweeney’s movie star status.
The twisty R-rated psychological thriller was an adaptation of Freida McFadden’s 2022 novel of the same name, and it came with a pre-existing fanbase eager to watch the adaptation. Luckily, it delivered.
The film had Paul Feig at the helm, with Rebecca Sonnenshine penning the script. Alongside Sweeney, the cast included 1923’s Brandon Sklenar, Michele Morrone, and Elizabeth Perkins.
The thriller plunges audiences into a twisted world where perfection is an illusion, and nothing is as it seems. Trying to escape her past after getting out of prison, Millie gets a job as a live-in housemaid for the wealthy Nina and Andrew Winchester. But what begins as a dream job quickly unravels into something far more dangerous — a sexy, seductive game of secrets, scandal, and power. Behind the Winchesters’ closed doors lies a world of shocking twists that will leave you guessing until the very end.
The Housemaid had a fantastic reception. The movie holds a Certified Fresh 74% approval score from critics and an even higher 92% Verified Hot from the audience. It also grossed $400 million against a $35 million budget.
The Housemaid’s Story Continues
Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried in The HousemaidImage via Lionsgate
Hollywood loves nothing more than a sequel, especially when it can bank on two different fandoms: the book fandom and the new fans the movie made. In The Housemaid’s case, Lionsgate got its work cut out, as McFadden wrote two sequels to the 2022 novel. Only a few weeks after the movie came out in theaters, Lionsgate confirmed The Housemaid’s Secret is happening, with production set to start later this year.
The Housemaid’s Secret sees Millie take a new job working for a wealthy but sick woman, who is looking for a way to escape her abusive husband, Douglas Garrick. The book description notes, “I’ve done this before. I can protect Mrs Garrick while keeping my own secrets locked up safe. Douglas Garrick has done wrong. He is going to pay. It’s simply a question of how far I’m willing to go.”
Sydney Sweeney will return as Millie Calloway, with Michele Morrone reprising his role as Enzo. Paul Feig is also back to direct and produce. Meanwhile, several new faces are joining the franchise, including Kirsten Dunst as Wendy Garrick, Paul Anthony Kelly as Douglas Garrick, as well as Off Campus’ Stephen Kalyn and Brittany Snow. Production is expected to kick off later this year, with a release on Dec. 17, 2027. At the same time, The Housemaid expands into a stage play as well.
The Housemaid is streaming on HBO Max.
Release Date
December 19, 2025
Runtime
131 Minutes
Director
Paul Feig
Sydney Sweeney
Millie Calloway
Amanda Seyfried
Nina Winchester