The first day ofSan Diego Comic-Conis winding down, butPaul Feighas one big surprise left up his sleeve. AtCollider’s Directors on Directing panelhosted bySteve Weintrauband also featuringRob Reiner, the acclaimed director debuted the first footage from his upcoming novel adaptation,The Housemaid, starringSydney SweeneyandAmanda Seyfried. It’s a quick introductory scene that offers a tantalizing and slightly sinister taste of the world theEuphoriastar is about to enter as she applies to work for a wealthy couple with plenty of skeletons in their closets. What’s meant to be a change of scenery is about to become something much more complicated and dangerous when the film arrives on December 25.
In the footage, attendees at the panel were introduced to Sweeney’s prospective housemaid, Millie, and Seyfried’s Nina, as the latter conducts an interview with the former about potentially taking care of her home. Nina and her husband, Andrew, played by1923breakout starBrendanSklenar, live in a pristine luxury home with a charcuterie board and fruit platter out for guests. Despite the challenge of keeping up such an abode, the wife believes that Millie is more than qualified for a job like this. Determined to get the job, the young woman just admits she loves housekeeping and plays along, saying the things Nina wants to hear. In the midst of all of it, though, there’s an awkward air and a slight slip of the mask that hints that this elegant look from Nina and the houseis just a front for something much darker that Millie is not prepared for.
Feig adapted the 2022 novel of the same name byFreida McFaddenfor his film, withRebecca Sonnenshine, who’s also creating the upcomingNetflix remake ofLittle House on the Prairie, penning the screenplay. Translating the psychological thriller was an exciting experience for the five-time Emmy-nominated director, who previouslyteased what to expect during a Q&AWeintraub hosted for his last film,Another Simple Favor. From its lavish setting to its suspenseful descent into madness, it made for a breezy filming process, especially with a stellar cast headlined bya “powerhouse” performance by Sweeneyand featuring a reunion for Feig andAnother Simple Favor’sMichele Morrone:
“It’s a book that’s been on the bestseller list for a year and a half. It’s a thriller, a straight-up thriller, this one. It’s Sydney Sweeney, Amanda Seyfried, Brendan Sklenar, and Michele Morrone from this movie. It’s pretty awesome. I gotta say, I’m really excited about it. We shot it in New Jersey in the first two months of the year, and I’m just in the middle of editing and very happy with it. It’s about a young woman who shows up at these rich people’s house to get a job as a housemaid. She gets hired, and it seems really normal,and everything goes spinning off the rails. It’s fantastic. It’s a really good book. It’s a really fun book to adapt.”
What’s Next for Sydney Sweeney After ‘The Housemaid’?
The Housemaidis only the tip of the iceberg for Sweeney, who has been signing onto projects left and right lately. First up, later this year Sweeney will star alongsideHalseyin the highly anticipatedAmericana. Among her biggest upcoming projects isSplit Fiction, an adaptation of the smash-hit video game of the same name helmed byWicked’sJon M. Chuand hailingfromDeadpoolduoRhett ReeseandPaul Wernickfor Amazon. While that remains in development, she’ll have theChristy Martinboxing biopicChristycoming to this year’s Toronto International Film Festival in September, andRon Howard’sEdenmaking its U.S. debut next month. A return toEuphoriafor Season 3 is also heating up for the star, with the drama making a surprise addition in the form ofthe legendaryHans Zimmerfor its score. As for Seyfried, while theMean Girlsstar is stillhoping for moreMama Miamovies, she’s set to return to another beloved franchise withTed: The Animated Series.
The Housemaidheads to theaters on December 25. Stay tuned here at Collider for more coverage from SDCC as the weekend continues.
The Housemaid
