How Lionsgate UK Turned 'The Housemaid' Into a Surprise Christmas Box Office Hit
By
Rich Johnston
Pulled from the oven just right. Trustworthy, fact-dense, deeply satisfying.
Summary
An analysis of how Lionsgate UK successfully marketed the erotic psychological thriller "The Housemaid" (2025) into a major UK box office Christmas hit, as presented to the United Kingdom Cinema Association. The article details the strategic marketing campaign behind the film, directed by Paul Feig and starring Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried, based on the 2022 novel by Freida McFadden. It highlights how a non-franchise thriller can break out in a market dominated by blockbuster tentpoles through thoughtful marketing and positioning.
Key quotes
· 2 pulledIn an industry dominated by franchises and tentpoles, a thoughtfully marketed thriller can still break out in spectacular fashion.
That was the story of The Housemaid, a 2025 American erotic psychological thriller film directed by Paul Feig, written by Rebecca Sonnenshine and based on the 2022 novel by Freida McFadden, and starring Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried.
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