In need of a juicy psychological thriller this holiday season? The Housemaid, starring Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried, might be exactly what you’re looking for.

Directed by Paul Feig, who is known for films such as Bridesmaids, Ghostbusters and A Simple Favor, the forthcoming movie is rife with dangerous secrets, shocking revelations and deeply unsettling tension among its characters. Those familiar with the film’s source material know that the story culminates in a shocking twist, though Seyfried and Sweeney have been tight-lipped to avoid giving anything away.

“It’s about a couple that is perfect from the outside, but as you start to peel away layers, it’s not what it seems,” Sweeney said on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Dec. 2. “And my character, Millie, starts to uncover all these hidden secrets.”

What is the release date for The Housemaid?

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

What is The Housemaid about?

Based on Freida McFadden’s 2022 novel of the same name, The Housemaid is a psychological thriller about a down-on-her-luck woman named Millie Calloway (Sweeney), who takes a new job as a live-in housemaid for the affluent and picture-perfect Winchester family, which includes erratic matriarch Nina Winchester (Seyfried). Millie soon realizes that not everything is as it seems, as she becomes entangled in the family’s dangerous psychological games.

But Millie’s hardly the model citizen herself: She’s spent the last 10 years in prison for murder and, given her precarious financial situation, has no choice but to continue living with the deeply sinister family.

“It’s a thriller, but it’s not,” Seyfried said of the film on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. “It’s kind of grounded in some very real, profound traumas, but it’s also just [about] female empowerment. And there’s a lot of catharsis at the end. It’s so surprising. Even if you love the book, I think you’d like it.”

Who stars in The Housemaid?

In addition to Sweeney and Seyfried, The Housemaid cast includes:

• Brandon Sklenar as Andrew Winchester, Nina’s husband

• Michele Morrone as Enzo, a groundskeeper

• Elizabeth Perkins as Evelyn Winchester, Andrew’s mother

• Indiana Elle as Cecilia Winchester, Nina and Andrew’s daughter

• Mark Grossman as Scott Crawford, Millie’s first boyfriend

• Hannah Cruz as Lexi, Millie’s friend

• Megan Ferguson as Jilianne, one of the PTA members

• Ellen Tamaki as Patrice, one of the PTA members

What have Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried said about The Housemaid?

During an appearance on the Today show on Dec. 3, Sweeney and Seyfried gushed about their immediate desire to star in the film.

“I mean, who doesn’t read this book and just freak out over it? It’s delicious, it’s juicy. There’s so many layers to it,” Sweeney said. “I was obsessed with it.”

Seyfried added of her character, “It’s absolutely the most fun role I’ve ever been given the opportunity to play. I’ve never had the space to go so wild. … But truly, I knew this book was such a beloved book, and I love the fact that we had the opportunity to work together with Paul.”

Has the rest of The Housemaid cast or crew said anything about it?

After reading McFadden’s novel, Feig immediately wanted in on the project. The Freaks and Geeks creator reached out to Lionsgate about directing a feature film adaptation of the book.

“It was just me calling, like, ‘I have to do this movie,’” Feig told E! News during a special screening of the film on Dec. 2. “‘I know you think I'm a comedy director — I have to do this movie. I know how to do it.’ And it was one of the best experiences of my life.”

For Feig, the draw of the story is in its shocking twist.

“It's about a very serious subject, and it gets very dark,” he added, “but it was knowing that the fun will be about the misdirection of the first half and then the resolution, once we know all the secrets of who deserves payback.”