How The Housemaid Turned a Fun TV Moment Into a Box Office Hit

Sometimes a movie’s biggest marketing idea comes from pure instinct. That’s exactly what happened with The Housemaid, the psychological thriller that has quietly become one of the year’s biggest success stories.

While filming an intense scene early in 2025, stars Sydney Sweeney and Brandon Sklenar were watching an old episode of Family Feud hosted by Richard Dawson. Suddenly, Sweeney had a realization.

She told director Paul Feig that the cast should go on Family Feud themselves. What started as a joke quickly turned into reality. Lionsgate’s publicity team made it happen, and the cast appeared on ABC’s Celebrity Family Feud on December 4.

The episode went viral, racking up about 1.5 million video views in a short time. More importantly, it helped build excitement just weeks before the movie opened in theaters on December 19.

A Throwback Thriller That Clicked With Audiences

The Housemaid feels like a modern take on the kind of thrillers that ruled the 1990s, such as The Hand That Rocks the Cradle and Basic Instinct. With a modest $35 million budget, the film didn’t rely on massive spectacle. Instead, it leaned into tension, star power, and word of mouth.

That strategy worked. The movie has already earned more than $140 million worldwide and continues to perform strongly in theaters. In the U.S., it’s holding steady, ranking just behind Avatar: Fire and Ash in mid-week box office numbers. Internationally, it’s still rolling out, with releases in Germany and South Korea boosting its global totals.

One standout surprise is overseas performance. In France, where the film was marketed as an erotic thriller, it has already brought in around $18 million.

Why This Win Matters to Hollywood

Lionsgate film group chair Adam Fogelson says Sweeney’s willingness to embrace unconventional promotion made a real difference. Rather than avoiding a game show appearance, she leaned into it—and did so enthusiastically alongside co-stars Amanda Seyfried, Sklenar, and Feig.

Beyond marketing, the film’s success highlights a bigger issue: female audiences are still underserved by Hollywood. The Housemaid, based on a bestselling novel by Freida McFadden, tapped into an existing fan base hungry for smart, adult thrillers.

Feig, who previously delivered female-driven hits like Bridesmaids and A Simple Favor, says studios often underestimate women at the box office—and they’re wrong.

What’s Next for The Housemaid

With strong legs and glowing audience response, a sequel is already in development. While deals for Feig and Sweeney haven’t been finalized, all signs point toward their return. Casting is also underway for several major new roles.

The film’s success has sparked industry-wide interest, with other studios looking to copy the playbook. It’s also raising questions about theatrical releases versus streaming, especially for future entries in Feig’s Simple Favor franchise.

For Lionsgate, The Housemaid proves that smaller and mid-sized films can still thrive. With lower overhead and smarter marketing, the studio has shown that not every hit needs a $300 million budget.

In a tough box office climate, The Housemaid stands out for a simple reason: it knew its audience—and trusted them to show up.