How The Housemaid movie alters the book’s storyline

The upcoming film adaptation of The Housemaid, based on Freida McFadden’s 2022 novel, largely follows the book’s central story but introduces significant changes that reshape character dynamics and alter the ending for the screen. Starring Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried, the movie reimagines key moments to heighten tension and visual impact.

Both the book and film follow Millie, a young woman with a troubled past who takes a live-in housemaid job with the wealthy Winchester family. What initially seems like a fresh start quickly becomes unsettling as Millie begins to uncover disturbing behavior within the household.

One of the film’s biggest departures from the novel is how it expands and rearranges supporting characters. In the movie, members of the Winchester family are given more screen time, which adds new layers to the story and shifts the emotional focus. At the same time, some characters who play a larger role in the book are reduced or streamlined for pacing and clarity.

The most dramatic differences appear in the ending. While both versions reach a similar conclusion, the path to that ending is changed. The novel leans heavily into psychological tension and manipulation, slowly revealing truths through internal narration and calculated actions.

The film, however, opts for a more immediate and dramatic climax, placing its characters into a direct confrontation that leads to a fatal outcome. The change transforms the ending from a slow psychological unraveling into a high-stakes, visually intense sequence designed for a theatrical audience.

Despite these alterations, the movie preserves the story’s core themes of survival, power, and control. Millie ultimately emerges with a chance at a new beginning, and the film subtly hints at her future beyond the events of the story.

By adjusting the structure and ending, The Housemaid movie delivers a version of the story that feels familiar to readers while still offering surprises — especially for those curious to see how the book’s shocking twists translate to the big screen.