The Housemaid 2 release date just sparked its own unlikely Barbenheimer and Dunesday with Lord of the Rings and Avengers: Secret Wars

Forget Dunesday and Barbenheimer! Avengers: Secret Wars, The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum and, now, The Housemaid 2 are all opening on the same day.

On March 30, Lionsgate confirmed that the surprise sequel to one of 2025's best thrillers, which is officially titled The Housemaid's Secret, will release on December 17, 2027. While it may seem bold to go up against two juggernaut franchises, it could wind up being a genius move from Lionsgate, as they cater to cinemagoers not looking to watch superhero or fantasy fare over the Christmas period. Let the battle for the box office commence...

Based on the novel of the same name by Freida McFadden, The Housemaid centers on Millie (Sydney Sweeney), a down-and-out young woman who takes a live-in job at the wealthy Winchesters'. As Nina (Amanda Seyfried), the mother, becomes increasingly erratic and Millie gets entangled with Nina's charming husband Andrew (Brandon Sklenar), though, dark secrets about the seemingly idyllic family come to light.

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Rebecca Sonnenshine wrote the script while Paul Feig (A Simple Favor, Bridesmaids) directed the flick, which made a whopping $398 million globally. The latter will be back behind the camera for the follow-up, as Kirsten Dunst joins Sweeney onscreen.

While the movie adaptation wasn't entirely faithful to the source material, we can assume the sequel will cover the broader strokes set up by McFadden's next chapter. In The Housemaid's Secret book, Millie finds herself coming to the aid of New York City-based couple Wendy and Douglas Garrick. Apparently, Wendy is sick and needs help cleaning and cooking – but if you've seen the first film, you'll know to expect a twist (or two) as to the real reason Millie has been summoned there.

For more, check out our guide to this year's biggest movie release dates or our breakdown of the most exciting upcoming movies.