Sydney Sweeney‘s Millie survived the Winchester house, but the ending of ‘The Housemaid‘ made it clear that walking away didn’t erase what happened inside those walls. Her escape came at a cost, and every decision she made afterward carried the weight of that experience.
That lingering tension now leads directly into the sequel. The next chapter doesn’t offer relief or distance. Instead, it picks up at the point where survival turns into something harder to manage: living with the consequences.
What Happens To Millie In ‘The Housemaid’s Secret’
‘The Housemaid’s Secret‘ continues Millie’s story after the events of ‘The Housemaid‘, adapting the second novel in the Freida McFadden trilogy. This chapter follows Millie as she tries to move forward, believing that previous awareness and experience will help her avoid repeating past mistakes. But Millie, being Millie, chooses an even dangerous path.
As expected, that belief doesn’t last long. Sydney Sweeney returns as Millie, now more alert, but still vulnerable to manipulation in ways she doesn’t immediately recognize. The sequel places her in another dangerous situation and proves that understanding risk doesn’t always stop it from closing in.
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This time, Millie goes back to working as a housemaid while trying to keep her life steady. She takes community college classes, dates Brock (a lawyer who doesn’t know about her criminal past) and hopes things are finally settling down. But she can’t be more wrong.
Millie accepts a new job working for Douglas and Wendy Garrick, a wealthy couple living in a Manhattan penthouse. Douglas seems friendly and welcoming, but Wendy stays almost completely out of sight, rarely leaving her room due to an illness. Millie is given strict instructions about her duties and told very clearly which lines she must not cross.
As Millie spends more time in the Garrick home, small details begin to worry her. She notices signs that Wendy may not be as safe as she appears, and Millie starts questioning whether she should step in or not. Her next steps turn her world upside down, once again, as betrayal and manipulation creep in full throttle. This time, it’s the woman who blindsides her, and takes advantage of Millie’s past.
Director Paul Feig has explained that this continuation avoids retelling the same story. He has said that Freida McFadden’s second book gave the creative team a clear path forward, allowing Millie’s arc to evolve instead of resetting her journey. Michele Morrone also returns as Enzo, once again tied closely to Millie as her situation becomes increasingly difficult to control.
The Unprecedented Box-Office Success of ‘The Housemaid’
The sequel’s continuation only became possible because the first film refused to slow down theatrically. Released earlier this year, ‘The Housemaid‘ earned $75.7 million domestically and $133 million worldwide against a reported $35 million budget, instantly separating itself from typical R-rated thrillers.
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Audience interest remained strong well beyond opening weekend. Positive word-of-mouth and steady turnout pushed the film to $192.5 million worldwide by the end of its fourth weekend in theaters. That total included $94.15 million in North America and $98.35 million internationally, where the film was still expanding its reach.
Several milestones followed naturally. The film became the highest-grossing theatrical release of Sweeney’s career in a leading role, passing ‘Anyone But You‘. Paul Feig also achieved his biggest non-comedy success, overtaking ‘A Simple Favor‘. Lionsgate reportedly offset much of the budget through international pre-sales, allowing the movie to generate profit early and turning ‘The Housemaid’s Secret‘.
