Sydney Sweeney’s Star Power Can’t Save Her Latest Box Office Disaster

Sydney Sweeney’s latest movie, Americana, is having a tough time at the box office. The film stars Sweeney as Penny Jo Poplin and Paul Walter Hauser as Lefty Ledbetter. It follows a group of South Dakota locals whose lives turn violent after they find a rare Lakotan Ghost shirt. The movie first premiered in 2023 and was released widely in theaters on August 15, 2025.

Critics liked the film, but audiences weren’t as enthusiastic. Americana earned a 69% Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes, and Metacritic gave it a 61 out of 100, which is considered “generally favorable”.

Popcornmeter has not given the movie a score yet because fewer than 50 audience ratings have been verified. The limited response from viewers is reflected in its box office numbers.

Americana opened in 1,100 theaters, but the results were disappointing. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the movie is expected to make around $840,000 for the weekend, averaging about $460 per theater. That would put it in 16th place at the box office, so low that it doesn’t appear on most charts.

Americana is a crime thriller and marks Tony Tost’s debut as both a writer and director. The film also stars Halsey, Eric Dane, Zahn McClarnon, Simon Rex, Gavin Maddox Bergman, Derek Hinkey, Toby Huss, Harriet Sansom Harris, and Donald Cerrone.

Filming took place in New Mexico in 2022, and the movie had its world premiere at the 2023 South by Southwest Film & TV Festival. Lionsgate later picked up distribution rights and released the movie on August 15, a week earlier than originally planned.

The story shows how people in South Dakota get caught up in violence over a pricey ghost shirt. Critics praised the performances and direction, but audiences didn’t respond the same way. According to The Hollywood Reporter, “Americana’s numbers reflect the challenge of bringing smaller, adult-oriented films to a crowded market.”

Despite the strong cast and early positive reviews, Americana’s poor box office debut highlights how even well-reviewed films can struggle in theaters. With competition from other releases like Nobody 2, the movie hasn’t managed to attract a wide audience.

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