From web page to display screen to stage… Lionsgate is popping “The Housemaid,” the best-seller turned box-office hit, right into a play.
The horny psychological thriller, based mostly on the novel by Freida McFadden, is being developed for the stage by producers Melting Pot, a British firm led by Simon Buddy and Hanna Osmolska (Broadway’s “Life of Pi” and “Paranormal Activity”) and playwright Bekah Brunstetter (Broadway’s “The Notebook”). The manufacturing timeline is unclear.
This manufacturing is Lionsgate’s newest growth of “The Housemaid” franchise. A sequel movie, “The Housemaid’s Secret,” is predicted to begin manufacturing later this 12 months with plans for theatrical launch on Dec. 17, 2027. That’s after “The Housemaid,” starring Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried, grew to become a sleeper success with $400 million on the international field workplace. Lionsgate spent simply $35 million to provide the primary film, which implies it’s wildly worthwhile for the studio.
“The Housemaid” follows a younger lady with a mysterious previous who’s employed because the live-in maid for a very rich household. However the husband and spouse’s picture-perfect life isn’t precisely what it appears. The stage model might be based mostly on the novel and film, that are fairly related although the endings range barely.
“’The Housemaid’ has all the elements for a successful stage adaptation – a blockbuster title, compelling characters, and a story full of twists and turns that builds tension and momentum in a way that naturally lends itself to the stage,” stated Lionsgate’s president of world merchandise and experiences Jenefer Brown. “This project reflects how our hit films and IP can be transformed into novel experiences.”
As Brown mentions, “The Housemaid” is the newest film that Lionsgate is increasing past the display screen. There are stage variations of “Dirty Dancing,” “La La Land” and “Wonder” within the works, whereas a play based mostly on “The Hunger Games” is at present on London’s West Finish.
With the stage model of “The Housemaid,” Buddy desires to “heighten its intensity.” The film, directed by Paul Feig, grew to become a crowd-pleaser as a result of a few of the campier components and jump-scares have been enjoyable to expertise with crowds.
“When I first read ‘The Housemaid,’ it was exhilarating,” Buddy stated. “What occurred to me is how truly theatrical the story is, not only happening largely in a single, claustrophobic location, but the twisty elements which contemporize what has long worked in potboiler stage thrillers.”
Brunstetter added: “I’m so thrilled to be bringing this gripping, emotional, strange, and even funny story to the stage. Not only have I fallen in love with the adaptation process and bringing books to life on both stage and screen, I’m extremely excited to dig into ‘The Housemaid’s’ incredibly universal themes of jealousy, the pain of desire, and the traumas that connect us.”
