Sydney Sweeney’s Erotic Thriller Overtakes Jennifer Lawrence’s Risqué Spy Movie at the Box Office

1 day ago 3

Rahul Malhotra is a Weekend News Writer for Collider. From Francois Ozon to David Fincher, he'll watch anything once.

He has been writing for Collider for over two years, and has covered everything from Marvel to the Oscars, and Marvel at the Oscars. He also writes obsessively about the box office, charting the many hits and misses that are released weekly, and how their commercial performance shapes public perception. In his time at Collider, he has also helped drive diversity by writing stories about the multiple Indian film industries, with a goal to introduce audiences to a whole new world of cinema.

Swing and a miss > measured victory. Also, #JusticeForHan. (He/Him).

Sydney Sweeney has clearly been anointed as Hollywood's newest starlet, occupying the same throne that Jennifer Lawrence did around a decade and a half ago. Lawrence capitalized on her initial popularity by bagging a blockbuster franchise (or two), which is something that Sweeney still hasn't really done. She only played a supporting role in Madame Web. Nor has she received the kind of critical acclaim for her early performances that Lawrence used to. The two recently faced off at the global box office, as Sweeney's The Housemaid overtook Lawrence's similar risqué spy movie Red Sparrow. The Housemaid recently emerged as Sweeney's biggest hit at the domestic box office, having overtaken the romantic comedy Anyone But You. It's still on track to pass the $200 million mark globally, thanks to positive reviews and enthusiastic audience support.

This weekend, the movie passed the $150 million mark at the global box office, overtaking Red Sparrow. The spy thriller was released in 2018, shortly after Lawrence had completed her obligations to the Hunger Games franchise. Directed by Francis Lawrence, the movie cost a reported $70 million, and earned mixed reviews. It featured Lawrence as a ballerina-turned-spy who uses her sexuality to gather intelligence. Red Sparrow is now sitting at a 45% score on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, where the critics' consensus reads, "Red Sparrow aims for smart, sexy spy thriller territory, but Jennifer Lawrence's committed performance isn't enough to compensate for thin characters and a convoluted story."

'The Housemaid' Is on Track to Hit the $100 Million Mark Domestically

The Housemaid, on the other hand, opened to positive reviews. It's currently sitting at a "certified fresh" 72% critics' score and a "verified hot" 92% audience score on RT, where the consensus reads, "A sly throwback to the lurid thrillers that used to dominate multiplexes, The Housemaid cleans up nicely thanks to its wicked sense of fun and a delightfully unnerving performance from Amanda Seyfried." Directed by Paul Feig, The Housemaid is now one of the 100 highest-grossing thrillers of all time, and has been delivering tremendously strong holds at the domestic box office despite fresh competition. The movie will most likely pass the coveted $100 million mark domestically before it debuts on PVOD platforms in the first week of February. You can watch the film in theaters until then, and stay tuned to Collider for more updates.