It seems audiences simply cannot get enough of Sydney Sweeney in a maid's uniform. The Housemaid, the psychological thriller that became one of last year's most talked-about cinema releases, has stormed to the top of HBO Max's US film charts — and it did so in record time.
The film arrived on HBO Max on 9th October 2026 and, according to streaming tracker FlixPatrol, had already claimed the number one spot by 11th October, bumping Kane Parsons' long-running chart-topper Backrooms from its perch in the process. It also leapfrogged Evil Dead Burn, Coraline, Corpse Bride, Supergirl, and The Departed on its way to the top.
From Box Office Hit to Streaming Sensation
This second wave of popularity is all the more remarkable given that The Housemaid was already a bona fide commercial triumph. Released in cinemas in December 2025 by Lionsgate, the film earned $400.5 million worldwide against a production budget of just $35 million — a return that would make any studio executive crack open the champagne. North America contributed $126.4 million of that haul, with overseas markets accounting for a further $274 million.
Directed by Paul Feig and adapted by screenwriter Rebecca Sonnenshine from Freida McFadden's 2022 novel of the same name, the film follows Millie Calloway — a formerly incarcerated young woman played by Sweeney — who takes a live-in housekeeping role with the Winchester family. What begins as a fresh start curdles rapidly into something far more dangerous, as Millie finds herself increasingly entangled with Nina Winchester, played by Amanda Seyfried, and Nina's husband Andrew, played by Brandon Sklenar. Michele Morrone and Elizabeth Perkins round out the supporting cast.
Critics and Audiences Both Won Over
The film's appeal has proven broad enough to satisfy both critics and the multiplexes. On Rotten Tomatoes, The Housemaid holds a 74% Tomatometer rating based on 202 reviews, alongside an impressive 92% audience score from more than 5,000 verified ratings. On IMDb, it has earned a 6.7 out of 10 from over 200,000 user votes — solid numbers for a film that leans firmly into erotic thriller territory.
Many fans agree that it is an entertaining movie, backed by the cast's performances and the story's twists.
Before landing on HBO Max, the film had already enjoyed a streaming run on Starz, where it debuted in April 2026. Its rapid rise to the top of a second streaming platform suggests the film's word-of-mouth momentum shows no sign of slowing.
A Sequel on the Way — But With One Big Question Mark
The box office success was enough to convince Lionsgate to green-light a sequel, currently scheduled for release in December 2027. The follow-up is expected to draw from McFadden's second novel, The Housemaid's Secret, in which Millie Calloway takes on a new family — meaning Nina Winchester does not feature in the source material.
That raises a thorny question for fans: will Amanda Seyfried return? She has not yet been confirmed for the sequel, and given that many viewers consider her the standout of the original, her absence would be a significant loss. Whether Paul Feig and Lionsgate find a creative way to bring her back remains to be seen.
The sequel also faces a major problem in that Amanda Seyfried was the best thing about the first movie and hasn't yet been confirmed to return for the follow-up.
For now, though, the focus is firmly on the present — and the present looks very good indeed for Sydney Sweeney and her mop bucket. With The Housemaid ruling the HBO Max charts and a sequel on the horizon, it appears the franchise has only just begun to make its mark.
