‘The Housemaid’: What We Know About the Best-Selling Book Adaptation Starring Amanda Seyfried and Sydney Sweeney

Amanda Seyfried and Sydney Sweeney have a lot to hide in The Housemaid.

The first trailer for the film adaptation of Freida McFadden’s 2022 psychological thriller gave viewers a look at how the stars are bringing to life the twisted story of a mysterious housemaid who was hired by a manipulative housewife, only to discover the family’s secrets are even more dangerous than her own.

Expected to hit theaters later this year, The Housemaid features Paul Feig as director and Sweeney and Seyfried as executive producers alongside their starring roles, per Deadline. McFadden, a physician specializing in brain injury, also has an executive producer credit — and couldn’t be more ecstatic to see her best-selling book on the big screen.

“I can’t even express how excited I am to announce that #TheHousemaidMovie is coming soon!!!” the author captioned an Instagram photo of the book in October 2024. “@Lionsgate has come up with the absolute perfect cast and director, and I am just so grateful! I mean, Sydney Sweeney, Amanda Seyfried, and Paul Feig… mind blown!!!! 🤯. I’m so honored and thankful to all my readers who helped make this dream come true!!!!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️.”

Here’s everything to know about The Housemaid movie and how closely it will follow McFadden’s popular novel. 

What is The Housemaid about?

According to the official logline, The Housemaid follows a struggling young woman named Millie (Sweeney) who eagerly accepts a job as a housemaid for a wealthy couple. But she quickly learns that Nina (Seyfried) and Andrew (Brandon Sklenar) are keeping secrets that are “far more dangerous than her own.”

This seems to follow the plot of the original book, which spent two weeks on The New York Times Best Sellers list and won the 2023 International Thriller Writers award for best paperback original novel.

Who is in the cast?

Sweeney and Seyfried star in the film as Millie and Nina, respectively. President of production for the Lionsgate Motion Picture Group Erin Westerman described the actresses as “perfect” for the opposing parts.

“They’re both mysterious, nuanced and incredibly skilled at becoming characters who don’t reveal everything right away,” she said in a statement obtained by PEOPLE.

Also included in the cast are Sklenar, best known for It Ends with Us and 1923, as Nina’s husband, Andrew. Michele Morrone of 365 Days plays Enzo, the family’s sexy groundskeeper with a mysterious past. In December 2024, he told PEOPLE that the role “couldn’t be any closer” to his own journey because he worked as a landscaper in Italy before becoming an actor.

Newcomer Indiana Elle plays Cecelia Winchester, Nine and Andrew’s daughter. The young actress confirmed her casting in September 2025 on Instagram after previously sharing photos of her sitting courtside with Sweeney at a New York Knicks game in January.

“Cat’s out of the bag!” Elle captioned a carousel of images featuring her and the Anyone But You actress. “EPIC night out with my amazing costar in @housemaidmovie @sydney_sweeney and @brooklynnets and @nyknicks at @barclayscenter . Still buzzing!”

Who is directing The Housemaid?

Paul Feig serves as the director The Housemaid. He’s known for directing movies like Bridesmaids, The Heat and A Simple Favor, as well as creating the cult classic series Freaks and Geeks. In October 2024, the director shared an Instagram video that showed him wiping his fingerprints off The Housemaid book while drinking a martini.

“It’s happening,” Feig captioned the post. “So excited to bring this great book by @fmcfaddenauthor to life on the big screen with @sydney_sweeney and @mingey and my pals at @lionsgate and @hiddenpicturesmedia. Millie is on her way.”

Where is The Housemaid filmed?

According to NorthJersey.com, The Housemaid started filming in Ridgewood, N.J., at a local supermarket and at Rutt’s Hut in January 2025. The latter, a popular hot dog restaurant, was also used as a setting for the Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown.

Other filming locations for The Housemaid included Montclair and Cresskill, two small boroughs in New Jersey.

Is there a trailer for The Housemaid?

Lionsgate dropped the trailer for The Housemaid on Sept. 16. The first glimpse of the movie showed Nina interviewing Millie for a live-in housekeeper job at the family’s gorgeous mansion. But Millie soon starts to suspect that her new seemingly perfect employers are hiding something far more sinister than she could imagine.

In one scene, Nine presents her new housekeeper with a key to her room because she wants her “to feel safe” in her home. Another cuts to Nina smashing dishes across the kitchen floor before being comforted by Enzo.

However, Nina isn’t the only one keeping secrets. As Millie drives away from the interview at the end of the trailer, her smile fades, and she tosses her glasses to the passenger seat — hinting that she isn’t who she seems.

When will The Housemaid be released? 

The Housemaid will be released in theaters on Dec. 19, 2025.