Lionsgate and playwright Bekah Brunstetter have announced a theatrical adaptation of Freida McFadden's psychological thriller, The Housemaid. The production is scheduled to debut at the Richmond Theatre in London in September 2027.
The $400 Million Cinematic Springboard for the Stage
The decision to bring The Housemaid to the theater follows a period of massive commercial expansion for Freida McFadden's intellectual property. according to the report, the film adaptation of the 2022 novel, released in December 2025, earned over $400 million at the golbal box office and maintained strong viewership on streaming platforms. This financial success provides a low-risk foundation for Lionsgate to experiment with a live stage version.
This move reflects a broader industry trend where "genre-bending" hits are leveraged across every possible medium to maximize audience reach. By transitioning from page to screen and now to stage, the story of Millie Calloway is being treated less like a single novel and more like a cinematic universe. This strategy echoes the long-term viability of mystery staples like Agatha Christie's The Mousetrap, which the report cites as a precedent for adapting mystery novels for the stage.
Bekah Brunstetter and Matthew Dunster's Adaptation Strategy
Lionsgate has tapped playwright Bekah Brunstetter to pen the script, bringing a pedigree that includes a Tony nomination for her work on the musical adaptation of The Notebook. Brunstetter's experience with high-emotion narratives is paired with the direction of Matthew Dunster, a West End veteran who recently helmed the stage version of The Hunger Games. The combination of these two creators suggests that the production will prioritize the high-stakes tension and large-scale narrative beats essential to the thriller genre.
The creative team faces the challenge of translating the internal psychological dread of McFadden's prose into a physical space. As the report says, Dunster's background in translating popular fiction to the stage is a key component of the production's goal to maintain the gripping nature of the original source material while utilizing the unique constraints and opportunities of live theater.
From Long Island Secrets to the Richmond Theatre's Eight-Day Run
The plot of the stage play will mirror the core narrative of the novel, focusing on Millie Calloway, a woman with a troubled history who becomes a maid for the wealthy Winchester family on Long Island. The drama centers on the dark secrets held by Nina and Andrew Winchester, utilizing the claustrophobic setting of a wealthy household to drive the psychological suspense.
The initial engagement will be a brief, high-impact run at the Richmond Theatre in London. The production is slated to open on September 11, 2027, and will close on September 18, 2027. Tickets for this eight-day window are expected to go on sale starting Friday, November 6, serving as a premiere event before any potential wider tour dates are announced .
Who Will Replace Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried?
While the film version featured high-profile stars like Sydney Sweeney, Amanda Seyfried, and Brandon Sklenar, the casting for the stage adaptation remains unannounced. This leaves a significant question regarding whether Lionsgate will seek out established West End stars or attempt to cast newcomers to redefine the roles of Millie and the Winchesters for a live audience.
The stage play is only one piece of a much larger expansion plan for the McFadden brand. The report notes that at least six other projects are currently in development, including film versions of The Teacher, The Tenant, The Surrogate Mother, and The Divorce, as well as a series adaptation of Dear Debbie. whether the stage play will lead to a permanent residency or a global tour remains to be seen, as future locations have not yet been disclosed.
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